A Perfect Universe
by BittenAgain
Summary: Kirk Prime never truly fell in love. The Enterprise was the object of his obsession. But in this new, alternate universe, can Kirk find a love to rival the Enterprise? This will be a long/ish story with a slow build to het Kirk smut at the end.
1. Chapter 1

**A Perfect Universe**

**Author**: Bitten  
**Title**: A Perfect Universe  
**Fandom**: Star Trek 2009 AU  
**Rating**: NC-17 for language, suggestive situations and graphic het sex (eventually)  
**Pairing**: Kirk and OFC  
**Feedback**: Encouraging comments are welcome! I also am interested in improving my writing, so please provide any constructive criticism via PM. If you say anything really mean to me, I'll send the Borg after you.  
**Archive**: VinXperience and fanfiction . net - nowhere else please.

**Author's notes**: Thanks to FuryanGoddess for all the encouragement and support, the ideas and the beta. I wouldn't have attempted this without her bad influence.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Uhura, Sulu or anyone else from the Star Trek universe. I make no money by this and I mean no offense. Lea Archer is my own creation, based on my silly fantasies and research from various Trek fansites. Autumn belongs to FuryanGoddess (from _Human Emotions_ and _Pon Farr_, which can be read here or at VinXperience), and I thank her for letting me play with her character.  
**Disclaimer 2**: I've been a huge Trek fan ever since I was a kid, and I hate it when people foul up the established continuity. I tried to include "real" Trek elements in this story, but I probably made a few errors. If you see that I've made a mistake, please PM me. I'll fix it if I can.  
**Disclaimer 3**: Despite my current lust for New Kirk, my 'first love' will always be Original Kirk. And Shatner still rocks!

**Summary**: Kirk Prime shared company with many women over the years, but he never truly fell in love. The Enterprise was the object of his obsession; no woman could ever capture his passion the way the starship did. But in this new, alternate universe, can Kirk find a love to rival the Enterprise?

**A Perfect Universe**

Chapter 1

_Starfleet Headquarters, San Francisco_

"An' another thing," Scotty said. "These beer nuts are great! Food is definitely better Earthside."

Bones held up his drink in salute to Earthside bar food, while Kirk shook his head and ordered another drink.

"Gentlemen, are you saying the food aboard the Enterprise isn't up to your standards?" he said as he took his fresh whiskey in hand.

"Well, the Enterprise, she's a fine lass, ye know," Scotty mumbled around his mouthful of food. "Sleek, fast, full of raw power."

"But she's not equipped with beer nuts, is what I think he's _trying _to say," Bones continued for his friend. Kirk started to laugh but winced at the pain in his jaw.

"Ow. Damn," he mumbled, signaling the bartender again. "Hey, can I get a glass of ice?"

"Face still hurts a wee bit, eh?" Scotty said with a cheesy grin.

"Try not to be too filled with compassion, eh, Scotty?" Kirk grumbled.

"Why don't you let me take a look at that, Jim?" Bones interrupted. "It's already turned purple. Must hurt like hell."

"I'll live," Kirk said as he wrapped an ice cube in a napkin and held it up to his face.

"You sure about that?" Bones said under his breath, surreptitiously watching someone from under a hooded brow. Kirk turned slightly to see who Bones was watching, but quickly turned back when he saw Admiral Pike enter the officer's club. Bones was right; Kirk might _not _live if he ran into the Admiral again today.

"Gentlemen, let's find ourselves another bar," Kirk said, downing his drink in one gulp. He grabbed a couple more ice cubes for the road and started to thread his way through the crowd, opposite the way Pike had gone.

"Wait, I nee' ta drain the weasel," Scotty said as he darted off toward the head.

"Damn it," Kirk muttered. He really needed to be _gone_ and the sooner the better.

"Come on, Jim, we can wait for him outside. In the bushes," McCoy added in a wry voice.

"Oh, ha ha," Kirk said, but he didn't hesitate to follow his friend outside the officer's club. They found a spot near the main doors, partially secluded by trees. Starfleet Headquarters was a huge complex, with lush landscaping around the building that held the officer's club and formal ballroom. Apparently there was some big shindig going on tonight, because a stream of people in dress uniform were entering the building. Kirk risked a glance back through the huge transparent doors to see most of the well-dressed people heading for the grand ballroom.

"Wonder what's up?" he asked.

"Don't you ever pay attention, Jim?" Bones said in exasperation. "The dinner for Fleet Admiral Burke's retirement is tonight."

"Oh, yeah," Jim muttered. His jaw still hurt, and so did his leg. He absentmindedly rubbed the inside of his thigh, wishing he'd taken some pain meds.

"What, did that Andorian Ambassador hurt your leg too?" Bones said with a scowl of disapproval.

"No, it's just a pulled muscle," Kirk said, regretting the show of weakness in front of his friend.

"A pulled muscle? You mean you pulled a muscle trying to get out of there?"

"Actually, I pulled the muscle before he got there."

Bones' eyes widened at the implication. "A sex injury?"

Kirk couldn't help the sly grin, but he quickly tried to hide it.

"Jim, whatever possessed you to sleep with an Ambassador's wife?" Bones said. Kirk was a womanizing egomaniac, but he usually didn't poach married women.

"Did you see her, Bones? She looks like she's about nineteen. I honestly thought she was the Ambassador's daughter, not his wife."

"And you thought that was okay? Sex with a _teenage_ member of an Ambassador's family?"

"Well..." Kirk didn't have an appropriate response, so he just shrugged.

"Damn it, Jim, it's a wonder Pike didn't kick you out of Starfleet. You do realize that someone shot video of you and the Ambassador's wife? It's all over the subnet. And of all the places for an illicit affair, did you have to do it on the balcony?"

"It's on the subnet?" Kirk asked. There was just a hint of pride in his voice, which McCoy quickly squashed. "Yeah, including the scene where Ambassador Gnash punched your lights out."

Kirk rubbed his jaw again and muttered, "Lucky shot."

"Well, your hands _were_ a bit, um, full, at that particular moment," Bones said. He tried to maintain his serious glare, but an amused grin tugged at his mouth. His life had certainly not been dull since that fateful day when he met James T. Kirk on the shuttle from Earth.

Both men finally laughed out loud, despite Kirk's wincing, when a few more people hurried past to join the festivities in the ballroom. It was starting to rain, adding extra speed to their steps.

"Where the hell is Scotty?" Kirk complained. "I really shouldn't be here right now. Pike ordered me directly back to the ship."

"Oh, you know how Scotty is. Probably got sidetracked by some pretty girl."

"Or some pretty sandwich," Kirk replied. "Hey, that reminds me, I've been meaning to ask you --

His words trailed off as he stared at two people approaching the building. They were moving quickly through the rain, sharing a large black umbrella. The man was older, wearing a Starfleet dress uniform. Kirk didn't recognize him, but he wasn't looking at the man anyway. He was struck dumb by the woman with him.

She had long legs, framed by black high heels and a short black skirt. His eyes followed her legs all the way up, past her petite waist to her breasts, where he couldn't help but focus his gaze. 'Magnificent' was the only word he could think of; firm, almost gravity-defying, but not _too_ big. He sucked in a hoarse breath as he heard her laugh at something the man said, his eyes finally drawn to her face. Light blonde hair, full lips, and slightly slanted eyes. Her features were almost delicate, but her sparkle of ... life, for lack of a better word, belied the illusion of delicacy.

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and he could do nothing but stare. A tiny drop of water splashed onto his pant leg as the couple passed; he heard her laugh again and then they were gone, lost among the crowd that was milling inside the building.

"That asshole," Bones said. "He could at least have apologized for splashing water on us."

"Who was that?" Kirk said, still staring after the woman, hoping to catch another glimpse of her in the crowd.

"I don't know," Bones replied while brushing the dampness off his uniform. He suddenly glanced up at his friend. Suspicion clear in his voice, he said, "Why?"

"That girl..." Kirk's words trailed off again.

"Damn it, Jim! Not again! You haven't even recovered from last night's fiasco. This is not the place or time to be chasing another skirt!"

"Especially that skirt!" Scotty said as he slid into the tree-lined overhang with his friends.

"Don't underestimate me, gentlemen," Kirk said as he took a stride toward the entrance, but Scotty grabbed his arm and jerked him back into the darkness of the trees.

"It's no' that, Jim, but trust me, ye don' want ta be courting that kind o' trouble!" Scotty continued in a hushed voice.

"What? Why?" Kirk was annoyed at being sidetracked.

"Don' ya know who she is, lad?" Scotty's accent grew even thicker as his agitation increased. "It's Admiral Archer's niece!"

Kirk quirked a brow at this announcement, but McCoy was the first to respond. "If she was Archer's niece, she'd be a hell of a lot older."

Scotty rolled his eyes in exasperation. "All right, all right, _great-niece_ if you prefer. Let me repeat that: _Admiral Archer's_ great-niece. You don' need ta be bringing any more trouble on yourself right now, laddie."

"So what if she's related to the old guy?" Kirk said belligerently and took another step toward the building.

"So what?!" Scotty said, almost apoplectic now. "So what? Do you remember what he did to me? That crazy old bastard transferred me to that outpost on Delta Vega, in the freezin' cold with hardly any fewd and no one fer comp'ny!"

"Uh, wasn't that after you used his pet beagle in a risky transporter experiment?" Bones said.

"See! He's a spiteful old thing! Standin' in the way of military science! And what do ye think he'll do to ye if he finds video of ye sporking his favorite niece?"

"Ah, he's got a point there, Jim," Bones agreed.

Kirk didn't hesitate. "He's not going to do anything to me. I just want to talk to her." He nimbly avoided his friends' hands as they tried to intercept him, making a fast break for the entrance to the building. He could see the girl inside, near the grand ballroom. If he hurried, he could catch up to her before she went in. Limping slightly from the pulled muscle in his thigh, he made his way through the crowd. When he got close enough, he started to call out to her, realizing belatedly that he didn't know her name.

"Uh, excuse me!" he half-shouted over the heads of the well-dressed Starfleet elite.

She hesitated, looking back into the crowd. Kirk caught her eye and waved, so she'd know he was indeed talking to her. Her brow furrowed as if she were puzzled, so he started to call out to her again, when his view was suddenly blocked by a very large Starfleet security uniform.

"Excuse me, sir, but Admiral Pike has requested your attention," the guard said in a monotone. He motioned to the side of the room, where Pike waited with a nasty glare on his face.

Kirk took one last look into the crowd, but the girl was gone and the guard now had a second standing next to him. Heaving an annoyed sigh, he turned smartly and approached Admiral Pike. He saluted, waiting for what he assumed would be another bawling out.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Perfect Universe**

**A/N: **Thanks to Furyan Goddess for the beta

**Reminder: **This story is set in an AU where Spock and Uhura never got together. Read Furyan Goddess's _Pon Farr_ and _Human Emotions_ to see what's going on with Spock and OFC Autumn.

**Chapter 2**

Leonard "Bones" McCoy took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He hated space travel. It didn't bother him so much when he was inside a huge starship, but these small shuttles left him feeling so _exposed_. Being a doctor only made the situation worse because he knew, in excruciating detail, what would happen to the human body if there were a hull breach, or if the atmospheric control computer was miscalibrated by even a hairsbreadth. Sometimes ignorance was bliss, and right now he wished he was more ignorant of the many ways in which a body could explode in space. He glanced at his companions to see if they showed any sign of space sickness, but of course, they didn't.

In fact, Scotty looked like a kid at a carnival. Craning his neck to take in the entire expanse of the view port, he was grinning from ear to ear. It was no secret that the engineer loved starships. He would take any opportunity to talk about the Enterprise's engines, the intricacies of the warp core, or the revolutionary new materials that made up the ship's hull. McCoy often felt like his eyes would glaze over if he had to listen to Scotty go on about it any longer. Right now, though, Scotty wasn't talking; he was simply enjoying the view of Starbase One and the multiple ships that waited in spacedock. The Enterprise was on the far side of the station, so the shuttle had to pass several other ships before it reached their destination.

McCoy shifted his view to observe Kirk. He was pleased to see that the bruise on his friend's face had already faded. It took a while to talk Kirk into letting McCoy treat the bruise, but the argument that the crew didn't need to see such blatant evidence of their Captain's brawl had finally convinced him. That, and Admiral Pike's admonition to "stop screwing around and see to your reputation."

The shuttle passed by the Defiant, which was in spacedock for a refitting. Scotty was watching the external technicians intently while Kirk looked vaguely bored. As they left the Defiant behind, the Enterprise finally came into view. McCoy was struck by the sudden change in Kirk's demeanor.

"Woul' ye look at that," Scotty murmured with pride in his voice. "She's a damn sight prettier'n that old scrapheap Defiant."

Kirk nodded in agreement, but the expression on his face didn't mirror the chief engineer's goofy grin. Kirk's gaze was intense, all-consuming. It was as if he had forgotten his companions on the shuttle, with eyes only for his ship. McCoy's eyebrow rose as he watched the captain, his own space-sickness momentarily forgotten.

Kirk subtly leaned forward, closer to the view port. _Closer to the Enterprise_, McCoy thought. Then Kirk turned to completely face the window, blocking the other men from seeing his face as they got closer to the ship. _It's like he doesn't want us to intrude on some personal moment_, Bones thought with a scowl.

In his role as Chief Medical Officer, it was McCoy's duty to see after not only the physical well-being of the crew, but their mental health as well. He'd been keeping an eye on Kirk's peculiar attachment to his ship for quite some time now. Of course, this syndrome was not completely unheard-of in starship captains; the newly-promoted occasionally developed unhealthy fixations on their ships, often to the exclusion of serious romantic relationships. Psychology circles were always abuzz with the newest theory for treating this syndrome, but luckily, the infatuation usually diminished over time.

Jim Kirk, however, seemed to be the exception. His obsession with his ship was not diminishing; if anything, it was becoming more pronounced. He certainly didn't avoid romantic entanglements, as many afflicted captains did, but he wasn't forming any meaningful long-term relationships either. _But then, he always was a Tom Cat_, McCoy thought wryly, remembering Kirk's many escapades back at the academy, well before he inherited command of the Enterprise. _Maybe his natural horn-dog tendencies are making the problem worse_, he thought.

The shuttle changed course to connect with the docking bay, providing McCoy with a view of Kirk's reflection in the view screen. He wasn't surprised by the hunger in Jim's eyes as he gazed on his ship. He stared at it, like a ... _like a jealous lover_, Bones thought. He wondered if Scotty would notice the captain's lust-filled gaze, but as usual, Scotty was jabbering about some technical doodad.

As soon as the docking sequence was complete, Kirk was the first off the shuttle. "Thank you for the company, gentlemen, it was fun," he said in his usual jaunty tone as he made his way from the shuttle bay. McCoy couldn't help but notice Kirk's hand, the way he casually touched the bulkhead as he exited. It seemed like a lover's caress.

_I need to keep an eye on_ _this_, McCoy thought as he made his way to medlab to do some research.

***

That evening, ship's time, Kirk and his fellow bridge officers had dinner with two new crew members that had come on board while the ship was in port. The long-established tradition of first-night's dinner at the Captain's Table was a source of anxiety for new staff, and often, tedium for the bridge officers. Tonight was no exception to the rule, and even Kirk was secretly glad when the final course was over.

McCoy noted that Kirk was a bit subdued, which was unusual. Kirk usually played it up for new crew members.

"You seemed a bit distracted tonight," he said as he moved his chess piece.

"Hmmm? Oh. Sorry," he said, absentmindedly sliding his own piece across the board. He didn't say anything further, so McCoy stopped pushing. After a few more moves, McCoy realized he was going to win. "What the hell is wrong with you, Jim? You letting me win?"

Kirk focused his eyes on the chess board, slightly surprised to see that he was indeed losing, then grinned. "I thought you could use an ego boost."

"You're a thoughtful and gracious captain," Bones said with his usual scowl. He started pulling the pieces from the board while waiting for Kirk's inevitable wiseass reply, but none came. Bones' expression deepened with concern, but he was interrupted before he could say anything.

"Evenin' gentlemen, mind if I jump in?" Scotty said.

"By all means, Mr. Scott, take my place. I'm not in the mood for chess tonight anyway," McCoy said. He cast a glance at Kirk, expecting to hear some jibe, but Jim remained quiet, so he moved his chair aside and picked up his comm pad. It was turned on to a psychology journal.

"If ye don' mind me sayin' so, Doctor, ye need a better hobby," Scotty said as he pulled up a chair.

"What?" McCoy said in surprise.

"Well, ye spend all yer time readin' journals and doing research, and _working_. Ye need somethin' to get yer mind off work for a bit."

Kirk finally seemed to be paying attention to the conversation. "Yeah, Bones, you need to take up painting or knitting or something."

McCoy glared at his friends. "I'll have you both know that I am an excellent fly-fisherman. There's no better hobby than that."

"Yeah, but man, we live on a _starship_ for heaven's sakes. There be no fish here!" Scotty continued.

Kirk laughed and McCoy continued to scowl while Scotty babbled about all the excellent hobbies that were possible while exploring deep space. Kirk studied the chess board for a moment and realized that he was about to lose again, so he buckled down and got serious about the game. He missed the challenge of playing against Spock, the only one on the ship who could actually beat him, but Spock's time in the crew lounge had been severely limited lately. He smiled to himself when he thought about Spock and Autumn.

As if on cue, several female crew members entered the lounge and took a small table near one of the view ports. Uhura was among them, looking sexy as ever. Scotty was immediately distracted, staring intently at them. Kirk took advantage of his inattention to maneuver towards a victory.

"Check mate," he said, leaning back in his chair.

Scotty didn't seem to care. Never taking his eyes from Lieutenant Uhura's legs, he said, "maybe the good Doctor doesn't need a hobby. Nae, what he needs is a girlfriend."

"What?" McCoy said, dragging his attention away from Uhura's tall black boots. With an annoyed tone of voice he continued, "No thank you. I've already gone that route, gentlemen, and I plan to spend the rest of my life licking my wounds and hiding."

The men all laughed and set the board up for another game, then McCoy continued, "No, I'd say the one of us who needs a girlfriend is our good captain."

"What?" Scotty and Kirk both said at the same time.

"He's already got more women than he can shake a stick at!" Scotty exclaimed. "Every time he turns around, a new girl is fallin' inta 'is bed! My god, man, don' encourage 'im! He should leave a few for the rest o' us!"

Kirk leaned back in his chair, raising his eyebrows and shrugging. Modesty was not apparent in his demeanor.

"I don't mean he should make any more questionable conquests," Bones said in a dry tone. Kirk adopted a hurt expression, but it was about as genuine as his attempt at modesty. Subconsciously glancing down at his psych journal, McCoy continued, "I mean he needs a _real_ girlfriend. An honest-to-god long-term relationship."

Kirk's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to retaliate, but Scotty beat him to it. "Ah, bite your tongue, Doctor! Some o' us brilliant-but-homely chaps need to live vicariously through his nefarious deeds!"

"Mr. Scott," McCoy started, "which side are you on? Do you want him to stop his womanizing ways, or not?"

"Well, I don' think ya ought ta be castratin' the laddie! Let 'im have his fun!" Scotty said, before turning his gaze to Kirk. "I just wan' ye to leave a _few_ lassies fer the like o' me!"

Kirk tried to hide his smile, but humility didn't come easily to him. Gesturing at Scotty in agreement, Kirk said, "That does seem like a rather extreme prescription, Doctor McCoy."

"I'm just saying, a real relationship, with a woman, would be good for you," McCoy continued. He took a sip of his drink while Kirk eyed him. "Be good for your reputation, too."

Kirk sighed. The subject of his reputation kept coming up lately, and it made him uncomfortable. This turn of conversation, however, did give him a perfect opportunity to ask a question he'd been contemplating all day.

"Hey, that reminds me, what did you say that girl's name was?" he asked Scotty.

"What girl?" Scotty asked.

"The one at the officer's club," he said. "Archer's niece."

Scotty's eyes bulged and he choked on his drink. "Nae, I didna tell ye her name! Stay away from that one, I'm tellin' ye!"

Kirk rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Mister Scott. Satisfy my idle curiosity."

"Yer curiosity is never idle," Scotty replied, shaking his finger vaguely in Kirk's direction. "An' I'm not tellin' ye her name because tha' family is dangerous!"

"Oh, come on Scotty. You might as well tell him. He's gonna find out anyway, if he really wants to know," Bones said. Kirk dipped his head in silent thanks for the support, but McCoy scowled at him. "That doesn't mean I condone this attraction, Jim. Just because I think you need a real relationship does _not_ mean that I think you should be messing around with the former-President's family."

"Oh, yeah, I keep forgetting that he was President," Kirk said. "It was so long ago."

"Ye forget that he was President of the Federation?!" Scotty burst out. "How can ye forget a thing lie' that?"

"Well, Mr. Scott, apparently _you_ forgot it too, or else you would have chosen to test your transporter theory on someone else's dog," Kirk said with a grin.

"Aye, laddie, you're right abou' that. Dangerous people, those Archers. That lass's name is not passin' me lips. I'll nae be your instrument o' destruction," Scotty said solemnly. Kirk could tell he was serious because his accent was so thick that he was hard to understand now.

McCoy shook his head. He knew Kirk wouldn't be so easily deterred, and he had a sinking feeling about the possible outcome of this situation. Glancing down at the psych journal on his comm pad, he glared and stabbed at the power button. _Should have kept my big mouth shut._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: Continuing thanks to FG for everything!

Chapter 3

_There you are,_ Kirk smiled in satisfaction. He hadn't been able to get the girl's face out of his mind since he had seen her last night. Even though he'd only caught a brief glance, she'd haunted his thoughts ever since, keeping him in an almost-continuous state of arousal. Her lips, her hair, her legs... He kept hearing her laugh, and it practically set his blood on fire.

_Damn Pike_, he thought. _I would have had her, if he hadn't interrupted._

It had been fairly easy to track her down; all he had to do was run a quick search on "Admiral Jonathan Archer's Family" and then sort through the various entries. He laughed about Scotty's refusal to tell him the girl's name. Of course, he knew Bones and Scotty were right; it was indeed dangerous to be lusting after former-President Archer's niece. But, truth be told, their admonitions only made him more determined. Besides, she was breathtaking. He studied her holo image a bit longer, then scanned the rest of the file on his computer: 

**United Federation of Planets  
Personnel File  
Civilian Diplomatic Department**

**Name**: Lea Joan Archer  
**Current Position**: Non-Human Specialist  
**Current Assignment**: Starfleet HQ, San Fransisco. Assistant coordinator of proposed First-Contact Diplomatic Relations Program, under direction of Admiral Christopher Pike.  
**Previous Assignments:** Alien diplomacy, Starbase 12; Alien diplomacy aid, Starfleet HQ.  
**Education**: Ph.D. in Non-Human Culture and Development, University of California at Stanford. M.S. in Advanced Computing, University of California at Berkeley.  
**Distinction**: Commendation for merit, recommended by Commodore Alonzo, Starbase 12.

_Interesting background. __Wonder__ why she didn't go to the Academy?_ Kirk mused. The Federation had almost as many civilian employees as it had military personnel, but the real career opportunities were within Starfleet. This girl - Lea - obviously had some accomplishments under her belt, but... _Why on the civilian side?_

He studied her profile a bit more, curious about her line of work. He knew that the Federation had many Non-Human Specialists to help guide relations with newly-discovered alien races, but they usually worked at established colonies or back at HQ on Earth. Their job was to help build solid relationships with promising alien species, with the goal of bringing more members into the Federation.

Intrigued, he ran a search on "proposed First-Contact Diplomatic Relations Program" in the Starfleet database. He had to provide his ID to access the files, but apparently his level of clearance was sufficient, because the requested files opened almost immediately. He glanced through the documents quickly, noting that the program was experimental and was not yet underway. Then something caught his eye: "placement of Non-Human Specialists on deep-space exploration vessels to assist with first-contact situations."

"What the hell?" Kirk blurted out loud. "They can't be serious. Putting civilians on the bridge?"

Annoyed at the very thought of some outsider telling him what to do on his own ship, he continued reading, seeing that Commodore Alonzo had endorsed the proposal. Kirk knew Alonzo, knew that he wouldn't approve of something like this unless it had merit. Still not convinced, however, he read Alonzo's report, paying particular attention to his conclusion:

"The Non-Human Specialist (NHS) performed admirably, providing insight and guidance that prevented the loss of both personnel and physical resources. The NHS's unique knowledge and skills are not duplicated among the station's staff. I recommend folding this position into our deep space missions."

"Huh," Kirk said. "What's so special that we don't already have in Starfleet?"

He clicked on the file that was attached to the Commodore's report, and sat back to watch, fully expecting to be underwhelmed. What he saw surprised him. It was a log file of the command center of the Starbase, in the middle of a red alert. Commander Derkson was attempting to communicate with a nasty-looking alien, whose spiny face dominated the view screen. No one could understand the alien's words, but Kirk thought he seemed pissed.

A subset appeared at the bottom right corner of the screen, featuring the base's communications officer as well as a now-familiar face: Lea Archer. The comm officer's fingers were flying over the various computer screens in front of him, and he was obviously struggling to keep up. Lea also was manipulating various computer screens while listening intently to the noises coming out of the universal translator. Obviously, they hadn't heard enough of the alien's language to fully translate it yet.

Derkson's voice raised in pitch, as if yelling at the alien would help it to understand him better. _Dick,_ Kirk thought. The alien seemed to agree with Kirk's assessment, as sensors lit up all over the command center; the alien had armed his weapons. Tension increased visibly as everyone realized that the alien ship was about to fire on the Starbase.

In the subset, Kirk saw Lea pound on her instrument panel with her fist. She abruptly turned to the comm officer, listening intently to the attempted translations, then she turned to the commander. "He's trying to protect his son. He's saying 'new first born.' His species conducts a ritual hunt to ensure the well-being of their babies. We need to give him room!"

Kirk was immediately struck by two things: first, Lea's voice was sexy as hell. Second, she seemed absolutely certain of her recommendation. She showed no hesitation, even though her instrument panel was obviously unable to keep up with the dynamic situation. The comm officer looked at her as if she had lost her mind, but Lea wasn't deterred.

"How the hell can you say that, Miss Archer? We know nothing of this species!" Derkson said.  
_  
Dickhead, don't take your eye off the alien with the big gun,_ Kirk thought with a disgusted sneer. _No wonder this situation got so far out of hand._

"The ship design, as well as the alien's physical appearance, is similar to another species from this quadrant. Their vocal patterns are different, but the root language seems the same," Lea said vehemently. She looked to the comm officer, who reluctantly nodded confirmation. Then Lea continued, "with so many commonalities, it seems likely that their religious rituals would be similar as well. If so, he'll do whatever it takes to protect his son, and we're interfering." It was impossible to doubt her word with such a look of sheer conviction on her face. Derkson sat back in his chair.

"What do you suggest? You might know what he's doing, but I don't think he's in the mood to wait until we get the universal translator online."

"Take our weapons off him," Lea replied. "If he sees that we're not on the verge of attacking him, he'll go on with his quest."

Derkson contemplated for a moment, then he ordered the shields at full strength before telling the weapons officer to drop the lock on the alien vessel. Everyone on the station held their breath for a tense moment, then the alien spoke a few undecipherable words and warped out of sight. The file ended there.

Kirk stared at the screen for a moment, then backed up the log to watch it again. Grudgingly, he had to admit that the situation would have ended badly if someone hadn't figured out the alien's true goals. The comm officer seemed to be doing an admirable job with the linguistics, and almost had the universal translator updated in time to help, but... _Almost isn't good enough,_ Kirk thought. No, it was the knowledge of the alien's culture, and their distant relatives' ritual practices that tipped the scales in Starfleet's favor. Simply understanding their language wouldn't have been enough.

Something else struck him about the situation; he couldn't put his finger on it, but _something_ tugged at him. He watched the log yet again, this time focusing on the intensity in Lea's face. When she spoke about the father protecting his son, she seemed so earnest, as if this situation affected her on a personal level. Her words seemed almost...familiar. _Whatever it takes to protect his son._

Kirk abruptly reached for his communication console and put in a transmission to Admiral Pike. While he waited for the Admiral to come online, he wondered what _exactly_ he was going to say.

_He won't just give her to me. There's gotta be a good reason,_ he mused. Pike's image suddenly resolved on the screen, more quickly than Kirk would have liked. Admirals usually kept him waiting a bit longer.

"Good to see that bruise on your face is gone," Pike said in greeting.

"Good evening, Admiral," Kirk said in his most formal manner.

"Uh oh. You're acting like a real officer. What the hell are you up to?" Pike said.

"Sir, I wanted to talk with you about the new First-Contact Diplomatic Relations Program."

Pike's eyebrows rose in surprise. "How do you even know about that, Jim?"

"The subject, uh, came up while I was planetside. I've been reading up on it, and I'd like to submit the Enterprise for inclusion in the test program."

"What? You're the last person I'd expect to volunteer for this. Did you see that it involves having a civilian on your bridge?"

"Yes sir, it certainly doesn't sound very appealing at first, and I do have some doubts about the current set-up --" Pike scowled at this implied criticism, so Kirk quickly forged ahead, "but after reading Commodore Alonzo's report and studying the logs from Starbase 12, I do see some merit in the program."

"You see some...merit...in the program. After studying the logs," Pike said, looking thoughtfully at Kirk's serious face. "This doesn't, by chance, have anything to do with the NHS's long legs, does it son?"

Kirk had to bite his cheek to keep his guilty grin from erupting on his face. He knew he had to steer this conversation in another direction, and fast. "Sir," he began, then paused dramatically. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Yes, yes, Jim. Just spit it out. What's your angle on this?"

Kirk put on his best "humble" demeanor and began, "Well sir, honestly, I could use some help with alien relations. Hell, I can't seem to get along with Spock half the time, and Vulcans aren't even considered aliens anymore."

Kirk's initial difficulties with his first officer were well known; but the fact that they were now fairly close friends was not necessarily common knowledge, and Kirk was not above using that to his advantage. He could see that Pike's scowl had softened a bit, so he pushed on.

"I'm capable of handling most first-contact situations, sir. In fact, the Enterprise is extremely well-suited for just about any new situation, but... but extra knowledge can only make us stronger. In that log from Starbase 12, I can see how Dickwad --"

"Derkson!" Pike interrupted.

Kirk stifled a groan. He'd been on a roll, but that slip of the tongue might cost him. "Sorry sir, Derkson."

Pike scowled for a heartbeat, then he said, "That's okay, son, he is a dick. Go on, what were you saying?"

Kirk allowed a grateful smile to spread across his face before he continued. "Well sir, I don't think I would have allowed the situation to get as bad as Derkson did, but after the alien locked weapons, I might have handled it the same way."

"You mean you would have yelled at him and then threatened to blast him out of the sky?"

"Well, not exactly, but I would have taken weapons to full capacity. And that seems to be the thing that escalated the situation."

"And you would have listened to a civilian? You would have accepted an outsider's advice and taken the weapons offline?"

"Um, no. I would have drawn auxiliary power to reinforce the forward shields, then I would have removed the weapons lock from the target and powered down the forward weapons array. I would have kept the aft array at full power. And I would have been annoyed that the civilian had to interrupt my focus to make her point. We need a better system for relaying her advice. Sir."

Pike eyed Kirk for a moment, noting that he already had considered how to integrate the NHS into his routine. "I see you've given this some thought. The whole civilian thing really doesn't bother you?"

"I'd prefer a Starfleet-trained person in this position, sir, but since that training isn't currently part of the Academy's offerings, I'll take the best option I can get."

"The best option, huh?" Pike said. "You do realize that there are seven NHSs who are fully trained and capable to take this position? Would you be happy with any of those seven?"

Kirk was caught off guard; he had been so focused on Lea that he had overlooked her colleagues in the program. The oversight cost him only a split-second, however, as he recovered at remarkable speed. "Sir, if I may, it seems to me that this new position could easily cause some conflict among the existing staff. The Communications Officer could potentially feel threatened, and as you know, my Chief of Communications is Lieutenant Uhura."

Pike nodded, so Kirk continued. "Uhura is the best in Starfleet at xenolinguistics. And she knows it. She is extremely touchy about her performance, and I think it will take someone with extraordinary interpersonal skills to work with her."

"You're right about that, Jim. We've had loads of issues with our comm officers feeling threatened by this. You think Uhura will have a problem too, huh?"

"It's a possibility, sir."

"And you think Lea Archer has the _interpersonal skills_ necessary to smooth your Comm Officer's ruffled feathers?"

"More so than the other candidates, sir." Kirk maintained a strong poker face, but he was really going out on a limb, considering he knew absolutely nothing about Lea's personality, nor did he know anything about the other candidates. But then, this wasn't the first time he'd taken a crazy gamble, and more often than not, his bets paid off.

"I still think this request is directly related to the length of Miss Archer's legs, but what the hell. I'll put the Enterprise at the top of the list."

"Thank you, sir," Kirk said, struggling to maintain his professional composure.

"Don't thank me yet," Pike said. "You know how these experimental programs are. It might take weeks to get all the paperwork done, and there's still a chance that the council will disapprove the final request. And then there's Miss Archer; she might refuse the assignment."

Kirk's face clouded in frustrated puzzlement. Answering the unasked question, Pike said, "Civilians can do that, you know, Jim. She might refuse."

"Who _wouldn't_ want to be on the Enterprise?" Kirk burst out in genuine surprise. "She's the flagship! The first of her kind! We've got the best crew, the newest technology, the most distinguished service record, she's the fastest ship in the fleet and no other can match her in --"

"Whoa! Hold on, son, you don't have to convince me! Enterprise was mine before she was yours, remember?" Pike said with an indulgent laugh.

Kirk quickly reigned in his outburst, but the idea that someone might _refuse_ the Enterprise had obviously thrown him.

"Don't worry, Jim, I doubt that a member of the Archer family could turn down Enterprise."

Kirk took a deep breath. Pike was probably right. How could Jonathan Archer's progeny turn down the chance to serve on [i]_his_[/i] old ship? "Thank you, sir," Kirk said.

After signing off from his conversation with Admiral Pike, Kirk looked at Lea's personnel holo again, reaching out to brush a finger across her cheek. "You wouldn't say no to us, would you?" he asked her image.

Then, laughing at himself, he shut off his computer and stripped down to his underwear. "Lights off," he said aloud as he climbed into his bunk. "Wake me at 05:30."

"Confirmed," the ship's computer intoned.

Shutting his eyes, he conjured Lea's image again, this time with his hands tangled in her long blond hair. The arousal that he'd been fighting all day came roaring back to life; he groaned at the sudden intensity of it. Reaching down, with her recorded voice playing inside his head, he began stroking himself into oblivion.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Reminder**: This story is set in an AU in which Spock and Uhura never got together; read Furyan Goddess's Pon Farr if you're interested in the relationship between Spock and OFC Autumn.

Yeoman Janice Rand handed the Captain the shift duty roster, which he took absentmindedly. She hesitated for a moment, waiting for his usual morning banter, but he seemed focused on his reports. Her brow furrowed, then she leaned a bit closer to him, allowing her breasts to brush against his arm. "Do you need anything else, Captain?" she asked.

"What? Oh, no. Thank you, Yeoman, that will be all."

Surprise was clear on her face, but she turned professionally and exited the bridge, her intricate blond braid bouncing as she entered the lift. Uhura made eye contact with Autumn, then both women shrugged. Even Spock eyed the captain with curiosity before turning back to his work. McCoy, however, was not so easily distracted.

"Captain, can I talk to you in private for a moment?" he said.

When they were alone in the lift, McCoy blurted out, "What the hell's the matter with you, Jim?"

"What?" Kirk asked in surprise.

"Rand! You just completely ignored her _and_ her ample bosom. You never fail to take the opportunity to flirt with her. What's wrong with you? Are you coming down with Orion flu?"

Kirk laughed at his friend. "Bones, you're the one who's been pushing me to mend my ways. I thought you'd be pleased!"

McCoy looked at him suspiciously, but didn't reply because he was at a loss for words.

"Besides," Kirk continued in a didactic tone, "it is against Starfleet regulations for a captain to have sexual relations with his direct reports."

"That never stopped you from ogling Rand before," McCoy grumbled.

"Honestly, Doctor, you are impossible to please," Kirk said. He wore his best wiseass grin as he slid past McCoy to exit the lift.

***

McCoy was perplexed by Kirk's behavior all day. After consulting several psych journals, he still was unsure what to think. Had the Captain finally taken an interest in cleaning up his reputation? Or was this yet another symptom of his infatuation with the Enterprise? Surely he wasn't avoiding **all** women now? _Never thought I'd see the day when I hoped he was still having one-night stands._

Then it hit him; Kirk hadn't given up his philandering ways, he had simply _already had_ Yeoman Rand! The two of them had been flirting outrageously for months. _They must have finally done the deed, and now that the chase is over, he's lost interest. That must be it. Old Jim "love 'em and leave 'em" Kirk strikes again._

Lots of girls back at the Academy had had their hearts broken when Kirk had moved on to more challenging women, and McCoy felt a stab of sympathy for poor Janice. Kirk probably didn't even realize he'd hurt her feelings.

_I'll have to talk to him about that. Won't do to have a disgruntled Yeoman,_ McCoy thought, but there was a new spring in his step as he made his way to the crew lounge, where he saw his friends gathered around a chess board.

"Is it true then?" Scotty was saying as McCoy pulled up a chair. "Hae ye forsaken' Miss Rand? Is she available now?"

Spock turned an apathetic gaze on the Chief Engineer. "Mr. Scott, your attempts at romantic endeavors never cease to amaze me," he intoned in a dry, emotionless voice.

"Ye don' look amazed, laddie. Ye look dormant!" Scotty said, but he subtly moved his chair a bit further away from the Vulcan. Though there were no hard feelings between the men, officially, Scotty still felt nervous around Spock, especially when the subject of Autumn came up. Or any woman for that matter. He glanced nervously at the other men at the table, hoping for some back-up.

McCoy's amusement was apparent. "Why, Mr. Scott, don't tell me you're thinking of making a move on the Yeoman?" _This might be just what she needs to mend her broken heart,_ McCoy thought.

"Well, she may need some comfortin' now that our Captain has spurned 'er," Scotty said with a happy grin. Obviously, Scotty had come to the same conclusion McCoy had regarding Kirk's sudden change in behavior toward her. "And that blonde hair, with the twisty braid? Aye, that's somethin' to light yer knickers on fire."

Spock ignored the obvious taunt; apparently, he would never live down his now-infamous "knickers" comment. Feigning disinterest in the conversation, Spock moved his chess piece, then folded his hands quietly on his lap to wait for Kirk to make his move. The game was going well, and he calculated that he would win in fewer than 15 moves. His attempt to ignore the immature conversation going on around him was somewhat unsuccessful, however, because the captain seemed to be closely following the topic. Spock stifled a sigh; the game might take all night if his opponent was distracted, and he was ready to return to his quarters. Autumn's shift would be over soon, and he wanted to be there to greet her.

He thought perhaps it might be best to steer the conversation back to less-stimulating topics, in hopes of allowing the game to end more quickly. "Captain, as you know, I routinely scan the roster of new programs that Starfleet has flagged for field trials," he began. McCoy's eyes immediately glazed over as he mentally prepared to be bored, and Scotty's attention drifted toward the food replicator. Spock noted their inattention with satisfaction, feeling certain that everyone would lose interest in the conversation and be quiet long enough for the captain to complete this game. He was surprised, then, when he saw the look of alarm on Kirk's face.

"Have I said something inappropriate, Jim?" Of course, at this point, both McCoy and Scotty jerked their full attention back to the conversation.

Kirk quickly hid his unease in an attempt to deflect the situation. "No, of course not, Spock. I just remembered some charts that I have to go over before tomorrow's shift. I should probably go --"

"Nuh uh, not so fast, Jimbo," McCoy said. "Spock's just caught you out in something, hasn't he? What the hell are you up to this time?"

"Nothing! Bones, I'm shocked that you'd even consider the idea! Now, I better get to those reports."

"Reports?" Scotty said. "I though' you said they were charts?"

McCoy didn't give him time to react. "Okay, Spock, spill it. What's going on?"

Spock failed to hide _this_ sigh. Apparently, he had chosen the wrong topic to speed the game's progress. "I simply was going to mention the fact that the Enterprise has been added to the list of possible test ships for an experimental new program." He didn't elaborate further, hoping that the men would let the subject drop.

"What kind of program, Jim? Why did you want to hide it from us?" McCoy asked. "Obviously it's not classified since Spock found it in the staff logs."

Kirk shrugged, then, choosing the most boring way to describe the program, said, "It's a new program to bring on a crew member with advanced knowledge of the cultural development of alien species, to assist with first-contact situations." He spoke in a monotone, then spread his hands as if to say, "see, it's no big deal."

Spock's eyebrow arched, then he added, "If I understood the log correctly, Enterprise has specifically requested a civilian Non-Human Specialist."

"A civilian?" Scotty said. "Tha' doesn' make any sense!"

McCoy nodded in agreement. "That is a damn sight odd, Jim. A civilian? And why the secrecy?"

"It's just an experimental program," Kirk said while casually twirling a chess piece in his fingers. "It might not even get final approval, and there are other ships in the running for it. I didn't see any reason to bring it up now."

"Yet," Spock began, completely unaware of Kirk's warning glare, "it is interesting to note that a member of the Archer family might someday join our crew. It would be prestigious indeed to secure this program for Enterprise. I congratulate you on your foresight, Captain. And," he nodded to the chess board, "it is your move."

"What?" McCoy exploded, standing up from the table so quickly that his chair fell over, scattering the chess pieces across the board. Scotty's exclamation sounded immediately after McCoy's, but it was practically indecipherable.

"You requested Archer's niece to join us here? On the Enterprise?" McCoy exclaimed. "Jim, are you out of your cotton-pickin' mind?"

"Shh!" Kirk growled, indicating the other tables full of people in the crew lounge. He glared at his friends until they calmed down and took their seats again.

Spock groaned inwardly, glancing at the disrupted chessboard. "I am sorry, Captain, I did not know that you wished to keep this to yourself."

"It's okay, Spock," Kirk said. "They would have found out about it soon anyway."

"I do not understand the problem," Spock stated.

"The problem is that he's been lusting after Archer's niece," McCoy stormed. "And now, he's somehow found a way to manipulate the system to get her here so he can make a move on her."

"Oh, laddie, what hae ye done?" Scotty moaned. "Yer courtin' the instrument o' yer own destruction! Ye'll get yourself kicked out o' Starfleet this time for sure!"

Spock's brow clouded at this revelation. "Perhaps they have a legitimate point, Captain. An illicit affair with someone so highly connected could indeed be damaging to your career."

Kirk felt insulted, and it showed on his face. "You're all assuming that the only reason I signed up for this program is so I can sleep with her! And, you're also assuming she won't like it!" Kirk said. Then he realized that he practically had admitted the very thing he was trying to deny, but he plowed on anyway. "You're overlooking the fact that this is a potentially valuable program, and Lea is the best candidate for the position."

"Oh, _Lea_ is it? Already on a first-name basis with her?" McCoy said.

"This is bad," Scotty said. "Ye ought to just start packin' yer bags now, 'cause you're going to end up workin' as a janitor on some tarnished ol' freight hauler."

"Oh, calm down, you sourpusses," Kirk said with a huff. He was secretly excited about the possibility of Lea coming on board, and he didn't want his friends to put a damper on his spirits. "Nothing bad is going to happen, and I'm not going to get kicked out of Starfleet. _If_ she is assigned to Enterprise, I'll just take it slow and see how it goes."

"See? He _is_ plannin' ta bed her!" Scotty said to McCoy. "Can' ye do somethin' to make him see reason?"

McCoy rubbed the bridge of his nose. His head was beginning to pound, and he had no idea how to talk sense into his friend. Obviously, his earlier conclusions about poor Rand had been dead wrong. Kirk had spurned her because he was _saving_ himself for _the instrument of his own destruction_. "I doubt it, Mr. Scott. He seems hell-bent on self-annihilation."

Kirk was beginning to get truly annoyed. "Why do you all assume this is going to end badly?"

"Well, let's see," McCoy started, counting on his fingers. "You've got a reputation for being an egotistical womanizer, you've been in trouble with Starfleet Command in the past for your inappropriate affairs, you've left broken-hearts across the quadrant, oh, and let's not forget that there is a whole category on the subnet with visual clips of your numerous _encounters_."

"A whole category?" Kirk said. He hadn't paid much attention to the subnet since leaving the Academy, but he had to admit that was impressive. _In a career-suicide kind of way._

"Aye, laddie, it's color-coded: black, white, green and now, since our last visit Earthside, blue," Scotty said. "Which is pretty interestin', ye know, I've always wondered what those Andorian antennae did when they were...um. Ne'er mind," he said when he realized Kirk was glaring at him with open hostility.

"You _are_ infamous, Captain," Spock intoned. He had already packed up the chessboard, and was preparing to leave. "However, I must point out that this conversation is most likely moot. Surely, someone who has grown up in the famous Archer family will be on guard in reference to any potentially embarrassing situations. As a close relative of the former President, she will undoubtedly not risk anything that would damage her family's reputation. And with that, gentlemen, I must bid you a good evening."

Kirk watched Spock leave, feeling decidedly deflated. Then he turned his attention to Scotty, who was staring at him mournfully, and then McCoy, who seemed to be seriously annoyed with him.

"What?" Kirk said.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Thanks to Furyan Goddess, Pamela, Janine and Princess Silence for the beta work! And thanks to those of you who are reading.

_**Reminder**_: This story is set in an AU in which Spock and Uhura never got together.

**A/N**: The USS Tian An Men was featured in several episodes of TNG and DS9. It is a Miranda-Class medium star cruiser. According to the _Star Trek Encyclopedia_, the _Tian An Men_ was named in honor of those who lost their lives during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 in Beijing, China. I thought it was cool that the producers used this name in the show; yet another reason why I've been a lifelong Trek fan. I wanted to use this ship in my story, but I changed the spelling and the class of ship.

*****

Kirk was in a bad mood. He felt betrayed by the way his best friends were acting. Their melodramatic warnings had effectively ruined his high spirits. He had pulled off a tricky bit of business, not only getting the Enterprise in the running for the test program, but also slotting Lea as the top candidate for his ship. He wanted to bask in his glory. _Damn Spock! Of all the subjects to bring up, why that one?_ Kirk silently fumed. He had intentionally kept the program from his friends for the last few weeks because he knew they'd overreact, and sure enough, they did.

"Killjoys," Kirk grumbled as he entered his quarters. Their dire predictions of failure had been entertaining at first, heightening the excitement of his game. But now it was simply annoying. _My career isn't going to come to an abrupt end just because ..._

His thoughts faltered. What _was_ going to happen if Lea was assigned to Enterprise? Kirk wasn't the type of man to dwell on his own inner compulsions; choosing, rather, to trust his gut and plunge forward. This situation with Lea Archer was no different than any other; he saw her, he wanted her, and he had taken steps to get her. He hadn't put much thought into _why_, or what would happen afterward. Obviously though, his friends had considered the potential consequences.

_Bones thinks she'll end up hating me, and Scotty thinks her uncle will have me keelhauled for it._ Kirk snorted in disgust, but, no matter how much he hated it, their continued harping was forcing him to consider his own motivations. It made him uncomfortable.

_There are lots of gorgeous girls out there. Why go to so much trouble for this one? Especially since, as Scotty says, she could be 'the instrument of my destruction'?_

He sat at his desk and called up one of the holo images he'd found while researching her. He couldn't deny that he had initially been drawn to her because of her looks. Surprisingly though, he now was more intrigued by the hint of personality that seemed to tease him from the various reports and summaries in which she was mentioned. Starfleet archives held a limited amount of information about her, including a few news clips about awards she had won while attending university and several vids of her at various Federation events. He was still particularly intrigued by that log from Starbase 12, having practically memorized it after repeated viewings, but he couldn't identify exactly _why_ that clip held so much interest for him. Regardless, he had spent a surprising amount of time reviewing her files, and now he felt as if he already knew her, if only vaguely. He wanted to see if his suppositions were correct.

He suddenly laughed out loud at himself; Bones and Scotty would give him no end of hell if they knew how much time he'd spent contemplating this girl. In fact, he was a bit surprised himself, now that he thought about it, which gave him an immediate sense of unease. Subconsciously, he pushed his thoughts toward a more comfortable subject: seduction. He flipped to the next holo image in his collection, the one where Lea was sitting outside a building on the UC Berkley campus, wearing a conservative sweater yet looking wantonly sexy.

Immediately hard, his cock strained against his uniform pants as he studied her darkly-lined eyes and slightly upturned lips. He had been fantasizing about this picture for weeks, and still, he couldn't get enough. If a fantasy was this good, then the real thing would be mind-blowing, he was certain. It had never occurred to him, even for a minute, that he might fail to seduce her.

_I'll have to thank Spock for pointing out that option_, he thought sourly. Kirk was stung by Spock's unexpected pronouncement that she would undoubtedly avoid him because of the risk of embarrassment.

_Embarrassment! Like being with me would be so bad?_ Kirk growled in frustration as Spock's words came back to him: "_You __**are**__ infamous, Captain."  
_  
"Infamous," he grumbled. Up until this evening's unfortunate argument with his friends, Kirk's only concern had been that Lea might not accept the assignment, opting for some other Starfleet job instead of Enterprise. Now his mind was in turmoil, and a tiny bit of self-doubt was dancing at the edge of his perception.

"Surely they're just overreacting," he said to himself, but in typical Kirk-fashion, he couldn't sit idly by and do nothing. He needed to see for himself whether his friends were off-base or not, so he did something he hadn't done for years; he logged onto the Starfleet Academy sub-net. He'd hardly ever paid attention to the underground network while he was a student, except when it came to tracking down his next conquest. Even though the net had its origins at the Academy, it was certainly not limited to student participation; Kirk knew that lots of Starfleet personnel monitored the sub-net to keep up with gossip.

Technically, the network shouldn't exist as it was not condoned by anyone in Starfleet Command, but the brass understood the need for a social outlet, so they didn't actively pursue the culprits who kept it running. By tacit agreement, the general public was not able to access the net, and classified information never appeared there, nor did any other truly dangerous material. You could, however, find a good deal on a used airbike, or meet a potential new roommate, or see visuals of the latest Academy prank.

It was just this section that drew Kirk's attention. Searching for his own name, he found countless mentions of his past history: his performance on various tests while at the Academy, his role in the defeat of the time-traveling Romulan named Nero, his subsequent promotion to captain of the Enterprise. He also found a large section labeled "encounters."

_I'll be damned, it __**is**__ color-coded_, he thought. A guilty smile spread across his face as he browsed the various visual clips, starting with the early days at the Academy. An Orion beauty ... twins from the Lunar colony ... Lieutenant Uhura. _Oh, my god. Uhura. That's on the sub-net?! No wonder she didn't speak to me for two years!_

As an up-and-coming hot-shot, he'd captured the attention of his instructors as well as the wilder set of students. A few of his more flagrant affairs became the stuff of gossip legend, and the next thing he knew, people were following him on his dates, hoping to catch some titillating stuff to upload to the net. Of course, that changed after the incident with Nero. No longer a harmless student, Kirk now had the attention of everyone in Starfleet, as well as a good number of civilians throughout the Federation.

With his accomplishments and fame came intensified attention; he couldn't leave Starfleet premises without having a host of reporters or other admirers following his every move, and even within secure facilities, someone with a digital recorder always seemed to be spying on him. He was the hero who saved Earth, and the resulting fame, while fun at first, had quickly become a burden.

Kirk opened the clip from his most recent trip to Earth. _The Ambassador's wife_, he thought. _How the hell did someone get a vid of this? That balcony was so high.._. He watched for a moment, taken again by the woman's beauty. She was truly stunning, and honestly, she didn't look a day over nineteen. Then Ambassador Gnash came into the frame, anger and jealousy clearly written on his blue features as he punched Kirk squarely in the face.

_Ouch!_ Kirk thought, rubbing his jaw in remembered pain. _I wonder how many people have downloaded __**that**__ clip?_ he brooded, feeling slightly embarrassed that almost anyone could see him naked and still hard, sprawling across a balcony with a pissed-off Andorian trying to strangle him.

He flipped through a few more clips, happy to see that he wasn't getting his ass kicked in any others, then leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful expression on his face. As a student, he rather enjoyed his reputation for bagging the most beautiful and exotic women. It gave his already-large ego another boost. He had not paid much attention to the actual vids that had been uploaded; just the knowledge that they were there kept a cocky grin on his face. But now that he was actually watching the vids himself, he realized that the images weren't always flattering. He might have behaved differently, had he known he was being recorded. In fact, he might have avoided a few situations entirely.

_Guess the girls might feel that way too_, he thought. He had genuinely cared about several of them, and he was still on friendly terms with almost all of them. His fists tightened in anger as he realized that they could be the subject of ridicule due to their association with him. _Damn it! I've got to fix this. And Spock might be right; if Lea has seen any of this, she'll probably stay the hell away from me._

The thought of Lea brought him full circle. _What __**will**__ happen if she comes here? And why am I going to so much trouble for her?_ He didn't have any answers for those questions, which induced yet another, wholly-unrelated thought: _self-introspection is a bunch of crap_.

Not wasting another second on useless analysis, he began composing a message to one of his old buddies who kept a hand in the management of the sub-net, but was interrupted by a hail from the bridge.

"Captain, a transmission from Starfleet Headquarters is coming in for you," Uhura said. "It's Admiral Pike. Do you want to take it on the bridge?"

Kirk winced guiltily at the sound of Uhura's voice, silently vowing to apologize to her and find a way to have the damning vid clips removed from the net. Out loud he said, "No, please route it to my quarters, Lieutenant."

The admiral's assistant appeared on the screen, smiling. "Hello, Captain Kirk. The admiral is waiting to speak with you." His image dissolved, and a moment later, Pike's face came into focus.

"Good evening, Jim, I trust I'm not waking you?"

"No, sir, I was just, er, reviewing some ... tactical data."

"Well, I have some good news. Our First Contact Program received final approval," Pike said proudly.

All of the evening's uncertainty and doubt instantly vanished at this unexpected news. With his earlier distress already forgotten, a thrill ran up Kirk's spine. _Yes!_

"That's excellent news, sir," Kirk said, maintaining his outward composure. "Isn't this earlier than you expected to get approval?"

"Yep, we weren't on the committee agenda until next month, but there was a last-minute cancellation and so we presented today," Pike said with a smile. "And Enterprise will be one of the first ships to take on an NHS."

"I'm pleased to hear it," Kirk said. He felt a spike of apprehension at the admiral's choice of words, however. _**An**__ NHS? Please tell me it's Lea!_

"We're scrambling to get all the final details in order," Pike said. "I believe you are scheduled to deliver medical supplies to Starbase 19 in approximately two weeks; your new crew member will be waiting for you there."

Kirk's gut tensed, fearing that Lea had indeed turned down the appointment to the Enterprise. _Is that why Pike hasn't said who I'm getting?_

Pike's eyes suddenly crinkled at the corners and he broke into a grin. "Relax, Jim, Lea Archer is your new NHS. I just wanted to string you along to see how you'd react." He chuckled at the look of consternation on Kirk's face. "I haven't seen you look that worried since they caught you cheating on the Kobiashi Maru."

Kirk raised a finger and started to protest. "Sir, the Kobi—"

Pike interrupted him with a bark of laughter. "I know, I know, you think that test was bullshit. Regardless, you owe me a big thank you. I had to pull some strings to get Lea shifted to Enterprise. She was originally slotted for the Tiananmen."

"The Tiananmen? I hope she was pleased about the change in plans," Kirk said. Tiananmen was a huge ship, with a large contingency of non-human personnel. The varied crew might have provided a better environment for someone so well-versed in alien culture.

"I didn't have to work too hard to convince her. She's almost as enamored with the Enterprise as you and I," Pike said. "After all, she grew up hearing stories about her uncle's exploits on the ship. In fact, I'd say she's got pretty high expectations; you've got some big shoes to fill, Captain."

_As if saving the Earth from Nero wasn't good enough, now I've got to compete with Archer's legacy_, Kirk thought. Hiding his grimace, he said, "I'll do my best, sir."

Pike's eyebrow rose for an instant, then he replied, "I'm sure you will. I'm sending you the files you'll need to review."

"Yes, sir," Kirk responded. Maintaining his poker face was difficult, but he continued to be as professional as possible in front of the admiral.

"And one more thing, Jim," Pike said. "I went out on a limb here. Don't get caught doing anything stupid."

Kirk understood the admiral's warning only too well. "I give you my word, sir."

After the connection was broken, Kirk's placed his feet on his desk, and, leaning back, finally indulged in a triumphant smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**A/N:** Thanks to Furyan Goddess, Pamela, Janine and Princess Silence for the beta. You guys rock!

Lea was excited. Nervous, but excited. The Enterprise was coming in to space dock, and she wanted to watch. The ship was legendary, especially among her family; even though this new ship wasn't technically the same one that her uncle had captained all those years ago, it was still _The Enterprise_. She hurried along the corridor on the upper level of Starbase 19, ignoring the other ships that were berthed along the external view ports like spokes on a bicycle wheel. She wasn't interested in the other, lesser ships, and so she looked past them to see if the Enterprise was within range yet.

She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face at the thought of her new assignment. She had always wanted to be on the Enterprise, ever since she was a little girl listening to her uncle's stories of past adventure. Uncle Jonathan talked about his ship as if it were a living being; he seemed to love it like a real person. His pride and affection were contagious, and Lea couldn't wait to see if the sleek, state-of-the-art ship would have the same appeal for her.

A small crowd had already gathered along the view ports near the Enterprise's scheduled docking berth. The ship, as well as her crew, carried an air of celebrity since that fateful encounter with the Romulan Nero, and many station personnel hoped to watch as it glided into port. Suddenly, someone toward the front of the group pointed, "Here she comes!" The excited murmuring of the crowd intensified. Lea slid between a couple of random people to secure a place at the front of the view port. The ship was quickly getting larger as it closed on the Starbase, finally close enough to read NCC-1701 on its hull.

Lea almost forgot to breathe as she watched it approach. Subconsciously leaning forward, she placed one hand on the view port to steady herself. _Uncle Jonathan was right, it __**is**__ the most beautiful ship in the fleet_.

As Enterprise slowed for the final approach to the station, Lea marveled at the size of the ship. The constellation class vessels were all huge, but somehow, Enterprise seemed even larger, her twin nacelles more powerful. She knew she was being silly; any differences in structural engineering would not be outwardly visible, but it did **seem** like the ship's advanced technology was evident. Despite the ship's size, it very nimbly maneuvered into space dock, making a perfect connection with the Starbase.

Lea continued to watch as various service drones zipped out to the ship, beginning repairs on the inevitable hull scratches and scanning for any items in need of external maintenance. The rest of the crowd drifted away, leaving Lea alone to admire the ship. Mentally, she reviewed its specs: the new voice-activation computing system, the increased warp capacity, the expanded science and research stations. No other ship had such advanced capabilities. She couldn't wait to take her place on board and get to work.

A wave of nervous jitters took her at the thought. _I'm really going to the Enterprise!_ For years, she had assumed she'd never achieve this goal. Her family had pushed her toward Starfleet Academy from a young age, but her rebellious personality failed to mellow and it soon became evident that she was not cut out for military life. She attended a regular university instead, where she was able to study several emerging fields that were not yet part of the Academy's curriculum. The loosely structured collegiate environment suited her, and she earned several degrees while rising to the top of the ranks in her major areas of study.

Her family had been a bit surprised when, after completing her post-graduate work, she had applied for a civilian job with the Federation's diplomatic division. Lea had explained that she wanted to continue her family's legacy of service to the greater good -- but she didn't want to give up her personal freedom to do it. Luckily, the Federation's civilian offices were much more casual than Starfleet's military hierarchy, allowing her to find a way to contribute without actually being under someone else's _command_.

Even as a civilian, she would be expected to follow military protocol while serving aboard the Enterprise, just as she had been forced to fit into the hierarchy for her assignment on Starbase 12. It was sometimes difficult to remember to follow orders without question, and the formal command structure seemed stifling to her; in fact, she often thought she would suffocate under the legion of military protocols. Being forced to obey commands from that idiot Derkson had been almost more than she could stand. These difficulties further convinced her that her decision to sidestep Academy training had been a good one.

Despite her discomfort with the military, she still secretly dreamed of going to the stars, so she was grateful that Admiral Pike had agreed to take her on as his assistant. The fact that he tolerated her head-strong tendencies, and actually listened when she argued a command, made her rethink some of her misgivings. She grew very fond of the Admiral. Unsure of why he put up with her independent attitude, she vowed to show that she was indeed worthy of his confidence.

Not for the first time, she wondered why Pike had asked her to change ships; her original assignment to the Tiananmen seemed more appropriate, with its high contingency of alien crew. The last-minute switch was unexpected, but when Pike spoke of the Enterprise, it was evident that he still had the same emotional attachment to the ship as her uncle. It seemed like the ship had some kind of hold on anyone who served on her crew, particularly the captains.

That thought brought her up short, dampening her excitement. _Too bad Pike isn't still the captain_, she thought. She didn't mind being under Pike's command, but... _Kirk! Of all the people to inherit the Enterprise. Why does it have to be him?_

***

Kirk leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Then he leaned back, grasping the arms of the command chair. He crossed his legs, then abruptly uncrossed them. He narrowed his eyes, then he frowned.

"Ship's status?" he asked the comm officer, for perhaps the tenth time in as many minutes, which was especially odd considering they were still in space dock. McCoy scowled as he watched the captain fidget in his seat; he was fairly certain he knew the reason for the captain's agitation, and it filled him with foreboding. After a few more squirms, Bones had had enough.

"Jim, are you feeling well?" he asked, quietly enough that the other members of the bridge crew probably couldn't overhear.

An expression of guilty surprise flashed across Kirk's face, as if he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but it was immediately replaced by his usual mask of arrogance. "Yeah, Bones, why?" he replied.

"Because you're squirming like a maggot on a stick," the doctor said with a disapproving frown.

Kirk rolled his eyes, then realized he was on the bridge in front of his senior officers, so he quickly adopted a more authoritative grimace. "Forgive my ignorance, Doctor, but I'm not well-versed in maggot behavior."

"Oh, hell Jim, just go meet her. You're not going to accomplish anything here."

"I thought you were opposed to me paying her any special attention?" Kirk said under his breath.

"I am," McCoy replied in a flat tone, "but maintaining a professional distance obviously isn't working for you. Just go. You've still got a few minutes before her shuttle docks."

Kirk glanced around the bridge, not really noticing the crew working there. "Well," he said with an eager grin, "I _am _the captain. It's my prerogative to personally greet new staff."

McCoy sighed, motioning him toward the lift. "Just try not to offend her right off the bat," he said resignedly.

***

Lea stepped off the shuttle, glancing nervously around the passenger docking bay. She had hoped someone would be there to help her get her bearings, but the bay was empty. Even though she had thoroughly studied the ship's layout, an irrational fear of getting lost on her first day nagged at her. She carried only a small bag of personal items; the rest of her baggage had probably already been delivered to her new quarters. _I just hope I can find my room!_ she thought.

The shuttle pilot exited the small craft, but he obviously had duties to attend to and went on his way, leaving Lea alone. Her orders said to report for duty at 6 a.m. the following day. Mentally reminding herself that that translated to 06:00 ship's time, she quickly calculated that she had approximately 18 hours before someone would come looking for her if she got lost. She sighed, picked up her bag, and started toward the docking bay doors, trying to remember if she was supposed to turn right or left. Suddenly the doors slid open, revealing a tall, blue-eyed man, who skidded to a halt at the sight of her.

Lea paused, her lips parted in surprise. She hadn't expected to come face-to-face with _him_ so soon. Realizing that her mouth was hanging open, she snapped it shut with an audible _clack_, then stared at him for a split-second. She was supposed to say something formal, wasn't she? Some arcane Starfleet thing? Abruptly remembering, she let her bag drop to the floor and said, "Permission to come aboard, Captain?" She was fairly certain that he didn't notice the slight tremor in her voice.

Kirk continued to stare at her for a moment, then flashed a smile. "Permission granted, Miss Archer. Welcome aboard the Enterprise."

"Thank you," she said with as much confidence as she could muster. She didn't know what to say next, so she remained silent, hoping she wasn't broaching some other mysterious protocol. The palms of her hands started to feel clammy and she wished she could just slip past him and run away. _Say something_! she thought desperately, though she wasn't clear about whether she was urging herself or him.

"Would you--" he began, just as she said "Should I--" They both paused, then she smiled somewhat awkwardly, while his grin became even wider. He then laughed out loud, and resumed speaking. "I'm sorry, Miss Archer, I didn't mean to interrupt you. I'd be happy to help you find your quarters, if you'd like."

Lea felt a sudden jolt of panic at his offer. She'd spent the last weeks mentally preparing herself to meet Jim Kirk in person, and she thought that she was ready, but now that he was standing _right there_ in front of her, she was unnerved. Struggling to control her growing distress, she said, "Thank you, Captain, but you must be terribly busy. I'm sure I can manage on my own."

"It's no problem," he replied, and before she could blink, he had taken the handle of her bag and already was turning toward the exit. "I need to go over a few details with you, so we can do that while we walk."

Lea stood frozen for a heartbeat, torn between dismay at being confronted with Kirk so soon and relief that she had a guide to help her find her quarters. Then she realized he was already several steps ahead of her and was talking again. She hurried to catch up, feeling as if she was being swept away by a smiling tidal wave.

"...dinner at 18:00 hours with the senior officers, in my private dining room. Then tomorrow, report to my office on the bridge about 45 minutes before the start of alpha shift so we can review your responsibilities. I'll assign Ensign Checkov to assist you until you're settled into your work station."

He had already taken two turns that she hadn't expected, skirting a small knot of technicians repairing something in the corridor, then suddenly they were stepping into a turbo lift. "Deck twelve," he said and the lift took off. She marveled at his casual use of state-of-the-art technology, and then realized he was staring at her expectantly. Wondering what she had missed, she swallowing a gulp and tried to adopt an attentive expression.

"I'm sorry, Captain, I was just admiring the voice-command system."

He grinned again, proudly, and then said, "That's nothing. Just wait until you get a look at your work station."

His blue eyes were practically sparkling, and Lea couldn't help but smile in return. She _was_ really excited about working on the Enterprise, and his unabashed enthusiasm was infectious. "I can't wait," she said.

"Good!" he said, coming to a halt outside a door. "Here you are."

_Lea Archer_ was stenciled above the control pad. Despite the fact that her head was spinning from the whirlwind trek through the starship, she felt a thrill of elation at seeing her name there.

"Thank you," she breathed as she held her hand to the control panel for initial identification. The door slid open, and she turned to take her bag, which, oddly, Kirk was still carrying. "Um, I can take that now," she said.

"Oh!" Kirk replied, almost self-consciously. Under normal circumstances, she might have thought his expression charming, but she was still too nervous to dwell on it. As he relinquished the bag, his hand brushed against hers, and just like that, his arrogant grin was back in place. "See you at 18:00 hours," he said. He held her gaze for a heartbeat longer, then turned and left her standing in her doorway.

As he retreated, she felt a profound sense of relief, as if the tidal wave had unexpectedly returned her to a quiet shore. Drawing a calming breath, she entered her new quarters, wondering just how horrible the evening's dinner would be.

***

McCoy ambushed Kirk just outside the bridge. "Well?" he asked. His arms were crossed and one eyebrow was arched; Kirk thought he looked like an angry grade-school teacher.

"Well what?" Kirk replied. He knew exactly what the doctor wanted to discuss, but he didn't want to make it too easy on his grumpy friend.

"Our new NHS? Is she everything you thought she'd be?" he said in an acerbic tone.

"Yes, Bones, she was delightful. Maybe a bit dazed by the bustle of the ship, but she seemed very capable."

"She wasn't a harpy?" McCoy said, sounding a bit disappointed. He had secretly hoped she would be unpleasant enough to put the captain off his foolhardy quest for her affections.

"Sorry, Bones, no such luck. She was pretty and pleasant and she didn't have any warts. She didn't even smell bad." Kirk grinned in satisfaction at his friend's scowl. "Oh, come on. Stop worrying."

"Well, at least you weren't gone long enough to have made a pass at her," McCoy grumbled. "I hope."

Kirk laughed. "No, I was on good behavior. But I did touch her hand, when I dropped off her bag at her quarters, and I think there was a little spark," he said with a mischievous smirk.

McCoy's forehead wrinkled in surprise. "You carried her luggage? What, you're the ship's bellboy now?"

Kirk's cocky expression never faltered. "Well, I do want to make a good impression."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_Thanks to Janine, Princess Silence and Pamela for the beta. You guys are the best! And thanks to JuliaAurelia for pointing out the typo in my last chapter; I hope I've got all those errors fixed now._

* * *

Lea had just finished unpacking her last container of clothing when her personal communicator beeped.

"Miss Archer, Admiral Archer is waiting to speak with you. Would you like me to patch him through to your computer terminal?"

Lea quickly glanced around her small room, seeing that the computer was only partially buried under piles of folded clothes, then replied, "yes, please."

A moment later, Admiral Jonathan Archer's image appeared on her screen. Despite his advanced age, he still looked fit in his uniform; she could see he was calling from his office at Starfleet headquarters in San Francisco. "Hello, Uncle John," she said with a warm smile. Sweeping the small mountain of clothes aside, she sat in front of her computer.

"Hello, kiddo," he replied. "Are you getting settled in?"

"I guess so. I've just been unpacking."

"How's that spiffed-up ship?" he asked. She thought she could detect a hint of yearning in his voice.

"Enterprise is just as gorgeous as you always said, uncle. I'm already amazed at the new technology, and we haven't even left space dock yet!"

Archer laughed, obviously pleased at his niece's enthusiasm. "Well, I hope this whiz-bang new ship can live up to its history."

"Me, too," Lea said, "but it will be hard to compete with your legacy."

"That's true!" Archer said with a rascally smile. They shared a laugh, and then Archer continued, "And that brings me to my next question. Have you met that famous captain yet?"

Lea hesitated for a second, then answered, "yes, in fact, he met me when I came on board."

Detecting Lea's discomfort, the admiral's face suddenly clouded with worry. "And how was that?"

"Honestly, it was a bit difficult, at first," she replied. "I thought I was prepared to see him, but..."

"Hmm," Archer said thoughtfully. "Was it just nerves? Or a full-blown panic attack?"

"Just nerves, sweaty palms. Nothing serious," she said. She leaned back in her chair, suddenly feeling very tired. "But now I've got to get ready for dinner with the senior staff."

"Oh, yeah, first night's dinner at the captain's table," Archer said with a wistful smile. "That was always fun."

Lea snorted a laugh. "Yeah, maybe for you, _Captain_!"

Archer smiled mischievously. "Well, it was fun for me, but I admit that not everyone enjoyed it as much as I did."

"Well, right now, I'm cursing you for starting this particular tradition, uncle."

Archer's smile widened for a moment, and then he grew serious again. "Lea, I still think you need to talk with Kirk about this. It might help things to go more smoothly."

"No," Lea replied vehemently. "I don't want any special treatment, and I don't want to jeopardize this new program with my personal issues. I can handle this."

The admiral sighed. "There's no arguing with you when you've made up your mind."

"Nope," Lea said with a grin. "And now, I need to get dressed for this wretched dinner."

"Let me know if you have any problems," Archer said. "And if Kirk gives you any trouble, I'll reassign him to a mining colony."

"I hope that won't be necessary," she replied before blowing her uncle a kiss and signing off.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**A/N:** I rewrote this chapter twice, but it still didn't turn out like I wanted it, so I rewrote it in this new format. I'd appreciate your suggestions on this style; I'll probably not do more chapters like this, but I'm curious to hear what you think of it. Thanks again to my betas!

**1730 Hours…Lea**

_What the hell should I wear? Everyone else will be in uniform. Maybe the blue skirt? It's almost the same color as those uniforms. No, I'm not Starfleet, no need to mimic their conformist clothing. But, those tall black boots are nice. Stupid shoes for work though. Idiotic Starfleet rules. Maybe the long black skirt would be better. Civilian. Yeah, obviously civilian… _

**1735 Uhura**

_I can't believe they're bringing a civilian on the bridge. A cultural expert? NHS? What a bunch of idiocy! Are her language skills better than mine? I doubt it. She's just here because she's Archer's niece. That, or because Kirk wants to fuck her. God, this dinner is going to be unpleasant…_

**1736 Scotty**

_Oh, what has the laddie gotten us into? Bad enough to have that she-devil on board, but now we hae to eat dinner with her too? Wonder if she'll recognize me? Did that old villain Archer tell her that I'm the one who zapped his beagle? Oh, heaven help me. I do na want to be transferred to a hell planet again! Have to keep me mouth shut. Canna take any chances. Dangerous people, those Archers. _

**1745 Lea**

_Okay, good enough. The skirt will do. Professional, but not military. Drab lipstick. Not too flashy._ *Deep breath* _Now, to face Kirk. _*Deep breath* _I can do this. Here goes. Deck… Oh hell, which deck is the damn dining room on? Crap…_

**1750 McCoy**

_What time is it? Dammit! Gonna be late. Where the hell is that bottle of whiskey? One of us is probably going to need it later. _

**1752 Chekov**

_Almost time! Wonder what's for dinner? Hope there's strawberries. _

**1753 Scotty**

_Wonder what's for dinner? Roast beef? Maybe some of those little potatoes, with the butter and chives. And sour cream! And pie. Or one of those soufflés? Mmmmm, cheesecake. Maybe if I keep my head down an' eat quietly, she won't do anythin' bad to me._

**1755 Kirk**

_Uniform looks good, hair looks good… Yeah, I look good. Damn good. Hmmm. Maybe I should wear the tighter pants? Nah, don't want to overwhelm the poor girl right off the bat. There'll be plenty of time for that later. Wonder what she'll wear? Hope she doesn't wear Starfleet blue. Sick of blue. Maybe something sexy, or slinky… Oh yeah, a tight black lace thing…maybe with one of those little ribbons…or high heels with those black stockings… Oh god, shouldn't have thought of that now. I'm hard enough to pound nails. Again! Only a few minutes…better take care of this before I go, or else I'll be fighting this hard-on through the whole damn dinner._

**1801 Lea**

_This isn't so bad. Kirk's not here yet. Maybe he got called away. Something urgent. God, I hope so. Wow, that must be Uhura. She looks like she just ate a lemon. This should be fun. _*sigh*

**1802 McCoy**

_Well, I'm not too late! Jim isn't even here yet. Surprising, figured he'd be here rubbing all over her by now. Jesus, Uhura looks like a viper! And Scotty looks like he's about to have a coronary. Someone should say something, this is awkward as hell. _

"Miss Archer, it's nice to meet you. I'm Leonard McCoy."

_Damn, she really is pretty. Gorgeous smile. No wonder Jim's been lusting after her. Wonder why he's not here yet? Oh good, here's Chekov._

**1804 Lea**

_Wow, Chekov looks even younger than I expected. He sure talks a lot. Thank god! He's the only happy person here... Goodness, he's not going to shut up, is he?_

**1806 Kirk**

_Show time! Everyone's probably here by now. Good thing Spock's got the con tonight …where's Lea? Oh, damn, she looks good. Chekov's sure talkative. What's McCoy glaring at me for? Oh, guess I shouldn't stare at her boobs like that…time to be the captain._

"Hello everyone, sorry I'm late. I assume you've all had a chance to introduce yourselves to Miss Archer?"

**1806 Lea**

_Oh, he's here._ *deep breath* _Smile, act professional. No reason to panic. Damn, he's talking. What? Crap! I need to say something. Something neutral, don't offend them. No need to point out that they all seem mentally off-balance._

"Yes, and it's an honor to meet all of you. I'm looking forward to this assignment."

_If Uhura glares any harder, her face will break. Why is the chief engineer looking at me like that? And why is __**Kirk **__looking at me like __**that**__? _

**1816 Chekov**

_These staff dinners are so great! Everyone's together and the food is good. Miss Archer is nice. Wonder what's wrong with Scotty? Oh, they're bringing those little crispy fried dumplings!_

**1816 Lea**

_God, I hope that broccoli doesn't get stuck in my teeth. The chief engineer is still looking at me like I'm a giant spider. What the hell?_

**1817 McCoy**

_Poor girl seems nervous. It would help if Scotty and Uhura weren't acting so strangely. Might also help if Jim would stop looking at her boobs._ *sigh* _Better keep the conversation going. _

"So, Miss Archer, it must have been something, growing up in the former-president's family?"

**1817 Lea**

_Oh, great. Here we go. Same old questions, every time. Can't anyone think of something original to say? Guess not. Smile and be gracious, Lea._

"Yes, it was extremely educational…"

**1819 Scotty**

_The laddie hasn't taken 'is eyes off her. Oh, he's doomed. Doomed! At least she's not looking at me yet. Thank god McCoy is keeping her attention. Would it be rude for me to get more of those little potatoes? Ought ta bulk up before she figures out who I am and has me transferred to Starvation Moonbase._

**1820 Uhura**

_Kirk might as well just ask all the rest of us to leave so he can be alone with her. Why did he even bother to invite the senior staff? He's obviously not interested in anything but her boobs. Or her legs. Hmmm. He's not talking much. Not telling any stories, or boasting about anything. That's strange. What the hell?_

**1822 Kirk**

_Need to say something witty. Wish her jacket wasn't buttoned up so high. Wonder what she's wearing underneath it? Wow, her hands are pretty. … What the hell is wrong with me? Her hands? Argh. Need to say something charming! Now! Erm..._

**1826 McCoy**

_Never thought I'd see the day. Jim Kirk is tongue-tied. Oh, this is good. Or bad. Whatever. _

**1827 Uhura**

_Kirk seriously needs to stop staring at her like that. He's making her nervous. And so is Scotty. Damn, glad I'm not her. _

**1828 Scotty**

_Okay, main course is finished. Not too much longer. Hold on, Montgomery, this is almost over. Maybe, if there's apple crisp for desert, I might be able to make it… Oh, no! She's not talking to me, is she? Damn!_

"Oh, er…I just. Work on the engines. You know, work and... things."

_Stop talking to me! Stop looking at me! Ignore me, you she-devil! Stop asking me questions! Oh, no! Now Kirk's glaring at me! So's McCoy! I need to get out of here before something really bad happens…_

_Oh, my god, did I say that out loud??_

**1829 Lea**

"Excuse me?"

_What the hell does he mean 'Before something really bad happens?' What is wrong with this guy? Why does he keep staring at me like that? And where is he going?? Did I offend him? Oh, god, this is a disaster. I should just repack my stuff and go home._

**1829 Kirk**

_Oh, shit, Scotty! You big idiot! Now she's going to think the senior staff is nuts. Wonder if I can salvage this?_ *sigh*

"Miss Archer, let me apologize for Mister Scott. I'm afraid he's been feeling a bit…under the weather."

**1829 McCoy**

_Great, Scotty has lost his mind. And now Jim is stuttering. I knew we were going to need that whiskey. _

"Yes, Scotty occasionally suffers from high levels of paranoia and self-destructive behavior. It's highly annoying, but unfortunately, untreatable..."

**1829 Uhura**

_Poor girl! This is an awful way to be introduced to Starfleet. Stupid men! _

"Miss Archer, Scotty's just PMSing. Ignore him. Maybe after dinner, you and I can go to the crew lounge and have a drink. I can introduce you to some of the more normal people on the ship."

**1829 Lea**

_PMSing? Can Starfleet officers talk like that? Oh well, at least she doesn't seem to want to kill me now._

"That would be nice."

_Nice? She'll probably change her mind and poison me. And what is Kirk looking at? Is there something wrong with my jacket?_

**1829 Kirk**

_What the hell is Uhura doing? She's highjacking my NHS! Lea's supposed to have a drink with __**me **__after dinner! God, this evening has been a disaster._

**1830 Uhura**

_Kirk's glaring at me. Good! Teach him to leer at a new crew member all night! Horndog. He was probably planning to upload some nasty vid clips of her later tonight. It's a good thing I'm here to protect her. _

**1832 Chekov  
**  
_I wonder if I can take Scotty's cheesecake, since he left?_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**A/N**: Thanks to Janine for helping me figure this out, and thanks to FG for letting me borrow Autumn. Also, thanks to you readers for being patient, and for your encouraging comments. Real life seems to be slightly less crazy again, so I expect to return to my normal posting schedule.

Kirk sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "That could have gone better."

"Yep," McCoy agreed as he poured a bit of whiskey into Kirk's glass. He eyed his friend speculatively. "What happened?"

"Well, obviously, Scotty's fear of Admiral Archer was more intense than I realized," Kirk said as he sipped his drink. "I shouldn't have insisted he come this evening."

"Yeah, that _was_ interesting," McCoy said. "But I was talking about _you_. What happened to you? You're usually full of piss and vinegar when you're trying to impress a new girl."

Kirk winced. "I don't know," he muttered. "Everything was fine when I met her at the shuttle this afternoon. But…"

"But?" McCoy prompted. "What changed?"

"I don't know. I didn't expect her to look so good. It was distracting."

"What?" McCoy laughed. "You've never been intimidated by a pretty face before. No, something else is bothering you. Come on, spit it out."

Kirk bristled. "Why are you asking? Seems like you should be happy that Lea's having drinks with Uhura instead of me."

"Let's just say I don't like to have the captain operating at less-than-full capacity."

Kirk stared at McCoy for a moment, then sighed loudly. "Yeah, well. I had planned to dazzle her with my wit and charm," he said with his famous grin, "but… everything I wanted to say seemed anemic. Lame. I mean, she's heard all the hero stories before, from her uncle. It's not like I'm the _first_ guy to save Earth." He shrugged, took another sip of his whiskey, then continued, "then _you_ had to ask about her childhood, growing up with Federation big shots, surrounded by the president's entourage."

"So?" McCoy asked while pouring them both another drink.

"So… she's _accustomed_ to famous people, she's not _enamored_ with heroes. Good-looking, smart, powerful guys are nothing new to her."

McCoy tried to hide his smirk. _Even when his ego is threatened, it's still huge._ "So, what you're saying is that you're not any better than the other gods?" he said, hoping to joke Kirk out of his foul mood.

Kirk just glared at him. "Something like that," he said dryly, downing the shot of whiskey. "It's just…I expected her to be a bit more _impressed_ with everything this evening. The first-night captain's dinner usually makes people nervous, or inspires a little awe."

"Hmm. She did seem poised, even with Scotty's little outburst," McCoy said as he considered his friend's words. It wasn't often that Kirk admitted any self-doubt. _Maybe this infatuation with Miss Archer isn't so bad after all, if it gives him a little humility._ But then, the fact that Kirk felt inferior because he had only saved Earth _once_ was a bit alarming. _God-complex, indeed. Kid takes too much responsibility on himself._

"Maybe she's not blown away by your fame and daring. So what? I don't recall you having any trouble with women back at the academy, before you became such a _hero_."

Kirk didn't miss the acid in his friend's tone at the word _hero_, so he put on his best cocky grin. "Well, that's true enough," he drawled, but then his bluster faded. "Lea, I don't know. She's different. She's…"

"She's having drinks with Uhura, right now, is what she is!" McCoy interrupted. "Now what do you suppose Uhura is up to? She seemed to have a bit of a twinkle in her eye when she walked out of here with _your_ girl."

Kirk sobered at the implications of McCoy's words. His expression shifted, reflecting both annoyance and determination. He stood purposefully, striding toward the door. "Come on Bones, we're going to the crew lounge."

Affecting surprise, McCoy said, "what are you up to?"

"Neutralizing an adversary," came his clipped response. "And ... something I should have done a long time ago."

_Now that's more like it,_ McCoy thought, grinning as he hurried to keep up.

* * *

Uhura studied Lea's profile as they walked down the corridor, wondering what the new girl was thinking. She didn't seem too excited about visiting the crew lounge, which Uhura found odd. _Who doesn't want to meet their ship mates as soon as possible? Maybe she's just shy?_ Or maybe she was simply being polite. She had certainly managed to remain polite all evening, despite that fiasco of a dinner. _Well, it will be good for her to meet some of the girls. After suffering through Kirk and Scotty, she deserves to have a little fun._

They took a lift to the next deck, and Uhura noticed that Lea was paying particular attention to the junction. "Don't worry about getting lost," she said, remembering her own difficulties with navigating the Enterprise's many hallways during her own first weeks aboard. "You can stop at any voice command station to ask for directions. Everyone needs to use the auto maps when they first get here."

Lea smiled gratefully. "Thanks, I think I'll probably be using that feature a lot."

Uhura smiled in return, pleased that the former president's niece wasn't a spoiled bitch, as she had half-expected. _Seems nice. Poor girl. She's obviously no match for Kirk. He'll just eat her up and spit her out, like he always does._

"That dinner was abysmal," she said, hoping to draw Lea into conversation.

"I take it that wasn't typical for a formal dinner here?" Lea asked.

"No, the guys are usually much less obnoxious," Uhura replied, laughing to lighten the mood. While continuing to make small talk, her thoughts lingered on Kirk and her own long-repressed humiliation at his hands.

_Pompous jackass, staring at her like that, making her nervous. Probably plans to seduce her just so he can add _her_ to that damn vid collection, too. Just what his ego needs, to tag a member of the Archer family. She probably doesn't even know the vids exist. I better warn her._

Uhura's eyes narrowed in anticipation. She felt good about helping Lea, but more importantly, she relished the opportunity to thwart Kirk.

"Here we are," she said, opening the doors to the crew lounge.

* * *

"Human or Alien?"

"Excuse me?" Lea asked. She had absolutely no idea what Uhura was talking about; in fact, she still felt mildly suspicious that she might not live through the evening. There was no denying the venomous glare that Uhura had been shooting at her earlier, and Lea didn't know if she trusted this turn of attitude. _It'll be a surprise attack. She'll smile and then kill me when I least expect it._

"Booze!" Uhura replied. "You want human alcohol or alien stuff? The crew lounge is stocked with most everything." Uhura smiled reassuringly, but Lea hesitated. She hadn't planned to start drinking her first night on board the ship, but Uhura seemed determined.

"I usually go for the alien stuff," she continued, "but tonight, I think maybe we need some old-fashioned home-brew." Uhura winked then signaled the bartender. "Two shots of tequila and a couple of beers, please. And keep 'em coming."

_Tequila shots? Oh, this isn't smart,_ Lea thought.

Before she knew what was happening, she was surrounded by a small group of female staffers at a table in the corner of the lounge, facing a view port. "Okay, everyone, this is Lea. She's had a bad day, so let's not make it any worse," Uhura said to the group before downing her shot. She introduced the other women while sucking gently on the slice of lime that came with her drink.

Lea tried to note all the names, but she immediately got two of the women mixed up. _I hope there's not a test later,_ she thought as she nursed her beer, ignoring the tequila. Uhura was talking again, telling the others about the horrible dinner.

"…and then Scotty mumbled something incoherent and _left_ the dining room!"

"Well, that's surprising. What was wrong with him?" one of the women asked. Lea thought her name was Autumn.

"He's probably afraid of _her,_" Uhura said dismissively.

"What?" Lea said. "Why would he be afraid of me?"

"Uh, because you're Jonathan Archer's niece?" a pretty blonde woman said in a slightly-condescending tone.

"What does that have to do with the chief engineer?" Lea wondered, but no one seemed to hear her; Uhura was talking again, and apparently, she commanded everyone's attention. Lea decided that she should ask her uncle about Scotty's odd paranoia of her, but then she realized that the conversation had turned to Kirk. She couldn't deny a morbid curiosity about him, so she started paying closer attention to the chatter while she sipped her beer.

"… and I bet Kirk will _seriously_ make Scotty pay for that," Uhura was saying. "You should have seen him; he was so embarrassed, he could barely speak!"

"Oh, come on! Kirk is never embarrassed!" the blonde, Janice, said with a laugh. "And he's never at a loss for words!" one of the other women said. They all laughed, remarking about Kirk's over-developed ego.

"Actually," Uhura continued, eying Lea as she spoke, "he was quiet throughout the whole dinner."

"Well, that's hard to believe," a dark-haired woman named Ronnie replied. "If he wasn't the center of attention, then he must be getting sick or something."

Lea wondered about that. "So, he's usually more talkative?" she asked tentatively.

"Oh, girl, let me tell you…" the woman continued, and soon the whole table was laughing again.

Uhura took the opportunity to lean close to Lea, speaking softly. "He was quiet because he was so busy staring at you."

Lea blinked in surprise. "What?"

Uhura smiled and continued, still speaking quietly enough that the others didn't hear, "Surely you noticed?"

Lea resisted the urge to squirm under the other woman's attention. In fact, she _had_ noticed him staring, but she assumed it was because she wasn't wearing a Starfleet uniform like everyone else. At least, that's what she hoped. Deep down, however, she feared he was staring at her because he _knew_; he knew, and he blamed her, just like she expected him to. The familiar tingle of anxiety blossomed in the pit of her stomach, but she took a deep breath, calming her nerves. _Stop being irrational, Lea, it won't help._

Uhura sighed, misreading Lea's reaction. _Oh, damn, she's got it bad for him. Poor girl_. "Look, I know Kirk can be extremely charming, but be careful; you probably don't want to be the star of one of his vid clips on the subnet."

"What?" Lea blurted, drawing the attention of the other women at the table. "The subnet? But I don't… He wasn't…--

Her spluttering was cut off by Uhura's laughter. "Don't play coy! I mean, it was so obvious. He stared at you all evening, and tripped over his own words whenever he tried to talk to you. He was acting like a school boy with his first crush."

Lea was so taken aback she couldn't respond. Surely Uhura was mistaken. If Kirk had any interest in her, it was probably due to her connection with his father's death, not some romantic thing.

"A school boy? You've got to be kidding," the woman named Tessa said. "Kirk was _never_ a shy school boy." The other women agreed, snickering at the idea, though now they were looking at Lea speculatively.

"Well, whatever is going on with Kirk, you need to be careful, Lea," Autumn said. Sharing a glace with Uhura, she continued, "she's right. No matter how attractive he is, you don't want to wind up on the subnet."

"Speak of the devil," one of the women interrupted, glancing toward the door as Kirk and McCoy entered. The others casually looked in his direction, except Janice, who stared longingly at him.

"Wow, he's looking good tonight," Ronnie said, to murmurs of agreement. Uhura simply quirked an eyebrow as Kirk passed by their table; she didn't bother watching him like so many of the other women -- and men -- did. Instead, she kept her gaze on Lea, who was doing her best to ignore the entire situation.

"Ooh, he's looking over here," Tessa said. Lea's back was to the room, and she had to resist the urge to turn around and see for herself. "Guess he _does_ have the hots for you, Lea, 'cause he's looking right at you."

_Oh, great,_ Lea thought, momentarily wishing she could sink into her chair and disappear. Then, silently, she berated herself for her weakness. _You've managed to maintain a professional demeanor all through this dratted evening, so don't blow it now!_ She straightened her posture and casually took a sip of her beer, only to realize, when the bottle clacked against her teeth, that it was empty. Glancing up, she saw that several of her companions seemed a bit less friendly than they had before, and Janice was eying her with barely-concealed hostility. _Just what I need; a new enemy. And it's only my first day here!_ Lea thought with a grimace.

"And, here he comes," Ronnie said, nudging Lea's foot under the table.

Lea looked into the view port and saw his reflection approaching. The arrogant grin from the afternoon was back on his face, and he swaggered as if he owned the world. Lea's stomach did a flip, and in an instant of panic, her eyes lit on the forgotten tequila shot that Uhura had ordered for her. She downed it without hesitation, welcoming the burn as the alcohol spilled down her throat. The sensation quelled her impending panic attack; though, she supposed, she might later wish she had chosen some other method of distraction.

Uhura watched, noting that Lea's reaction contained more dread than eagerness. _Maybe I misread this,_ Uhura mused. _Maybe she really doesn't want him. Is she simply afraid of how he'll react if she tells him no?_

"Lea," she said quietly, leaning to murmur in her ear, "if you don't want to go out with him, just tell him so. He's an egotistical ass, but he won't force himself on anyone."

The reassuring tone of Uhura's voice made Lea feel better, even though the other woman obviously didn't understand _why_ Lea felt so agitated. It was simply nice to have someone on her side, but before she could reply, Kirk ... _arrived_. It was as if the entire table was swept up in a sudden wave of magnetism and charisma.

"Ladies, I trust you're having a pleasant evening?" he said, his confident voice captivating everyone within earshot. Lea and Autumn had to turn in their chairs to see him, while Janice leaned toward him wistfully from the far side of the table. Uhura lounged back in her seat, acknowledging him with a nonchalant air.

"I'm glad to see that Uhura is fulfilling her promise," he said. Turning his full attention to Lea's now-puzzled face, he explained, "to introduce you to some of the _more normal_ members of our crew." His smile was dazzling as he gestured to all the women assembled at the table, winking at Autumn. He obviously loved playing to an appreciative audience, and Ronnie, Tessa and Janice were only too happy to be included in the spectacle.

His showmanship was lost on Lea, however, as she simply struggled for an appropriate, yet truthful response. "Lieutenant Uhura is indeed a formidable host," she managed, her voice a bit hoarse from the still-burning tequila.

Kirk's grin only deepened, causing the corners of his eyes to crinkle slightly. "That she is," he replied, holding Lea's gaze for a moment. Then he looked at Uhura. "Lieutenant, may I have a word with you?"

"Of course, Captain," she said, smiling frostily as she stood.

Lea felt an immediate wash of relief as Kirk's attention turned away from her. _Surely he wouldn't smile like that if he knew about me._

Emboldened by the thought, she watched the interaction between Kirk and Uhura with utter fascination. Though the woman was smiling, it was not a happy expression; rather, it seemed as if she were challenging him. Kirk seemed to not only recognize the implied dare, but to welcome it.

_Wow. There's some kind of history there,_ Lea thought. _Chemistry, too. I knew Uhura was wrong. He's not interested in me, he's interested in _her.

They headed across the room, presumably so they could speak in private. Uhura moved with an intense grace, drawing attention like a prowling panther, while Kirk swaggered, his rolling gait inviting everyone to watch him -- and everyone did. Almost every person in the lounge stared eagerly at the two mesmerizing figures. As they stopped at a tall cafe table by the far view port, a burst of eager whispers erupted around the room.

Lea began to relax, her normal self-confidence returning, as the two most vexing people she had met now took center stage. _Just like every other office I've worked in, driven by gossip and politics,_ she mused. _Glad it's got nothing to do with me._

"Gah," Janice grumbled, pulling Lea's attention back to her table. "He didn't even _look_ at me! And now every man here is staring at Uhura."

"Yeah," Ronnie agreed. "I wish I had her legs."

Suddenly, feeling free of the burdens of the day, Lea laughed. "Me too," she said as she began nibbling on the lime that came with her shot.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**A/N:** Thanks to Pamela, Janine and Furyan Goddess for the beta; and thanks to FG for letting me borrow Autumn. Just a reminder: this story is set in an AU where Spock and Uhura never got together.

* * *

"What is it, Captain?" Uhura asked as soon as they stopped at the table, though she was sure she knew _exactly_ why he wanted to talk to her. _I snatched Lea out from under his nose, and now he's got some wily plan to keep me from turning her against him. We'll just see about that!_ She stared at him coolly, rubbing her tongue along the back of her teeth, waiting for him to make his move.

Noting her defiant stance, Kirk took a moment to savor the rush of pre-battle anticipation, then took an exaggerated breath and began. "This, um, this isn't a professional matter, Uhura. It's personal." He spoke quietly, as if he didn't wish to be overheard.

"Yes?" was all she gave him. She knew Kirk was a master strategist, and whatever he had up his sleeve, she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"I recently learned... I mean, I didn't know -- ugh. This is harder than I thought." He paused for a dramatic moment, then plunged forward. "Listen, I know this is late in coming, but...I owe you an apology."

Uhura's eyebrow rose in a mock show of surprise. _He's a good actor, but…trying to_ _win me over with his humility? Ha!_ She regarded him for a heartbeat, then said, "What for?"

He hesitated, as if unsure of how to proceed. Finally, he haltingly said, "You know, back at the academy. That file on the subnet. I didn't know it was there. I mean, well, I knew some files were there, but I never actually _looked_ at them. I, uh. I should have done something about it, back then. I'm sorry."

Uhura felt herself go cold at the mention of the accursed vid clip. Years of practice allowed her to keep the expression off her face as the single-most humiliating event of her life was thrust back at her. _He's fighting dirty_, she thought, surprised that he would sink low enough to use this against her.

"Sorry?" she ground out angrily. "Really."

Kirk's face was flushed, and he was looking at the top of the table. His finger was tapping, and if she didn't know better, she might think he was actually nervous. Not looking up at her, he continued, "I didn't...I didn't realize the full extent of those vids, until a few weeks ago. I didn't know you were there --"

"How could you _not_ know?" she hissed, clearly shocked by this revelation. "Everyone else knew!"

He finally brought his gaze up to meet hers, and she was surprised by the emotion there. "I just didn't pay attention to that kind of thing, back then. But now, I understand why you wouldn't speak to me for two years, and … I don't blame you for hating me," he said in a choked voice.

_He didn't know_ why _I avoided him all that time?_ Softening a little, despite her better judgment, she replied, "Oh, I never _really_ hated you, you know that."

"Well, I know you put up with me now because I'm the captain and I haven't gotten you killed yet," he said, smiling up at her from under his lashes.

Uhura sighed. She had to admit, he played "humble" very well, and he _was_ damned charming when he wanted to be. Still, his timing was suspect. "Why now? After so long, why bring this up tonight?"

"Well, I wanted to do more than apologize. I wanted to fix it, so--"

"Fix it?" Uhura snapped, finally allowing her repressed anger and frustration to show. "You can't just _fix_ something like that! Do you have any idea how mortified I was? How much crap I've had to put up with since that thing appeared on the net?"

"Nyota, I'm sorry. I can only imagine how embarrassing that must have been. I know that nothing can ever make up for that."

Her sudden fury dissipated just as quickly as it came, tempered by his apparently earnest apology. Hearing her first name on his lips reminded her of the intimacy they had shared, of that one unplanned night of passion. Now, he looked at her imploringly, his blue eyes seeming so sincere. She crossed her arms defensively, and feeling off-balance from her conflicting emotions, she simply looked at him. "Go on," she said.

"I've spent the last two weeks trying to get that clip removed from the net, and that's why I wanted to talk to you _tonight_. It's gone. They deleted it. I...thought you'd want to know."

Uhura's breath caught. For years, she had wanted nothing more than for that awful clip to disappear. And now it was gone? Just like that? "Are you sure?" she asked, silently cursing herself for the note of insecurity in her voice.

"Yeah, it's gone from the net," Kirk said, "but, I'm afraid it still exists on lots of sub-servers, and anyone who copied the file still has it." He looked at her apprehensively, expecting her to explode again.

She uncrossed her arms and leaned against the table, tapping her finger lightly on the edge as she considered his words. After a tension-filled moment, she said, "Well, I guess that's better than nothing. There's no way to get rid of all the copies anyway."

"Oh, don't be so sure," Kirk said, with that familiar glint in his eyes. "Chekov and Scotty are working on a special program, some quantum-trans-mumbo-jumbo worm. If it works, they'll infect the subnet with it, and then it'll jump to the official Starfleet system, replicating throughout _all_ connected computing systems. It's like a seek-and-destroy missile, set to eliminate every copy ever made of those vid clips."

"Every copy?" Uhura breathed. "They can do that?"

"Don't forget, this is a ship full of over-achieving super-geniuses," Kirk said, cocky grin back in place. "They can do it."

"But, infecting all Starfleet systems? Won't that get someone in trouble?"

"The worm will erase itself after the job's done, so there'll be no way to prove it was us. It might take a few more days, but we'll get it done, Nyota, I promise."

For the first time in a very long time, she felt free. With a genuine smile, she leaned across the table and placed her hand on his arm. "I still wonder about your motives, but ... thank you, Jim."

He smiled too, then tipped his head in acknowledgment. Taking a formal step back from the table, he said, "Good night, Lieutenant," then turned to leave the lounge.

* * *

As Kirk and Uhura walked away from the table, Janice smirked at Lea. "Disappointed? He doesn't seem that interested in you, after all."

Lea smiled. She might be a bit shaky in the presence of Kirk, but with his attention turned elsewhere, her confidence had returned. The tequila buzz helped too, and her usually-bold personality reasserted itself. She did not want her work on the Enterprise to be tainted by silly gossip or jealousy, and since this game was all-too-familiar, she tried to turn the attention away from herself. "Actually, I was just thinking how good the two of them look together."

Janice's brow furrowed, and the other women smiled. "You have to admit, Janice, those two do look hot together," Tessa said.

"Yeah, watching them walk across the room is almost as good as watching porn," Ronnie replied with a grin. "Sexy."

Janice glared at the other women, and Lea stifled her smile. _Good. Let them snark at each other and forget about me_, she thought.

"Damn, he does look good," Tessa said, still staring at the retreating figures.

"He always does," Janice replied. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"I don't know, but I wish Kirk would turn around," Tessa replied.

"I don't mind looking at that ass," Ronnie responded with a laugh.

"Well, yeah, but I can't see his face," Tessa said.

"Whatever he's saying, Uhura doesn't like it," Janice observed with satisfaction in her voice.

"He _must_ be trying to get in her pants again," Tessa said with a grin.

"Not if he's smart," Ronnie replied.

"Oh, come on you guys, this isn't any of our business," Autumn said, shaking her head at the others.

"Oh, Autumn, don't be such a fuddy-duddy," Tessa said. "Besides, I'd _bet_ that he is trying to fuck her again. That clip on the subnet is getting old."

"Yep," Ronnie said. "Time to update his porn files!"

"Tessa! Ronnie!" Autumn cried. "That's uncalled for! Show some respect!"

Tessa shrugged, then Ronnie responded, "Well, she'll definitely kill him if anything like that happens again."

Lea listened to the conversation, interested in spite of herself. _Uhura was in one of those clips? Now her behavior is starting to make a little more sense._

"As well she should," Tessa said. "How embarrassing!"

Ronnie glanced sidelong at Lea, looking for an opportunity to spice up the conversation. "You think they look good together now, but what about on that clip? Did you like that, too?"

"Ronnie, you're just being mean," Autumn interjected. Ronnie shrugged, still looking at Lea expectantly.

Lea studied Ronnie's face for a moment, weighing her words. She didn't want to make any enemies on her first day, so despite her strong feelings on the matter, she tried to give a neutral reply. "That's not the sort of thing I usually pay attention to," Lea said, hoping the conversation would move to a less offensive topic.

"But you have seen them?" Ronnie pressed.

_Damn, these women just don't stop!_ If she'd been back at the university, or in some other civilian setting, she would simply have said _"Mind your own business"_ and left the table. But this was Starfleet, and she needed to fit in, even in this casual setting. Gritting her teeth in annoyance, she nodded her head. "I know things like that are on the subnet, but I mostly ignore them. I don't like to invade someone's privacy like that."

"Well, it's not like Kirk minds," Tessa said. "If he didn't like the attention, he'd stop putting on such a show."

Lea cringed at the ignorant remark. _As if heroes asked to be harassed! Well, fuck it. I'll never really fit in here anyway. Might as well let them see the real me._

"You know," she began, "when I was a kid, I watched my uncle struggle to hide his personal life from the media. He had to be careful, all the time, because any misstep or slip-of-the-tongue made the news. Once he spilled a cup of coffee on himself, at a conference, and he said 'damn, that's hot.' We spent the next two weeks seeing clips of his face saying 'damn' on intergalactic broadcasts."

Lea paused, taking a sip of her fresh beer. "He had to have extra security around his home, and his office, and he still was hounded by people trying to take his picture or catch him doing something interesting. Fans, fame-hounds, reporters, crazy people…always out there, always watching. It was annoying and it made life hell, for our whole family."

Autumn smiled. The other women were listening intently, but they didn't look happy. Maybe they hadn't expected to be called to task by the seemingly-quiet new girl.

"So yeah, I'm aware that there are a lot of unflattering things on the subnet," Lea continued. "I think the people who post that stuff should be ashamed, and the people who watch it should be ashamed, too. I sympathize with anyone who has to put up with that kind of garbage."

"I'm sorry for the girls in those vids, too," Autumn agreed. "Most of them probably had no idea that would happen to them."

"No one deserves that kind of scrutiny, especially from their friends," Lea said pointedly.

Suddenly, Uhura laughed out loud, alerting the women that she was back and had overheard part of the conversation. Ronnie and Tessa both turned red, stuttering their surprise that they'd been caught in their cattiness. "Oh, Uhura…um. We were just— "

"Just laughing at me behind my back?" Uhura interrupted Ronnie. "Why am I not surprised?" She sat down, smiling dazzlingly at the women, as if she were completely unfazed by their nasty remarks.

"Well, I suppose it's time to call it a night," Tessa said hesitantly. Uhura continued to smile, causing Tessa to fumble nervously.

"Good night," Autumn said brightly.

"Yeah, um, hang on Tess, I'll join you," Ronnie said, eager to escape the embarrassing situation. The two women quickly left the lounge.

Janice sighed. "Well, I guess you're not going to tell us what Kirk wanted?"

"Probably not," Uhura said, smirking as she reached for her drink.

"Yeah, I figured. Guess I should go, too," Janice said. "Good night."

Autumn smiled at her as she left, and then finally, Uhura giggled. "Now, want to know what Kirk said?"

"Uh, no," Lea said quickly. "This really isn't any of my business. I'll just go so you two can talk."

"Don't be silly, Lea," Uhura replied. "I heard what you said, and, I'm afraid you're stuck with me now."

"Oh, great_,"_ Lea muttered. Autumn laughed and Uhura continued without missing a beat.

"He's found a way to remove all those clips from the subnet," she whispered, still grinning happily.

"What?" Autumn exclaimed loudly, then immediately hushed her voice. "Really?"

"Yeah. He said he didn't know I was even there, until a few weeks ago. Now he's got Scotty and Chekov working on some worm to destroy all the copies."

"That's wonderful!" Autumn said, obviously happy for her friend. "Surprising, but wonderful."

"Yeah," Uhura breathed. Then she straightened, resuming her customary poise. "But Lea, what I said is still true. Kirk's an egotistical ass at best, and a slut at his worst. If you don't want to date him, just tell him no. And if you _do_ want to date him, be careful."

Lea smiled. "Thanks for the warning, but honestly, I think that's the least of my worries."

* * *

"Neutralizing an adversary, eh?" McCoy said as he walked alongside Kirk. They were headed to the medical bay, where the doctor had a spare bottle of whiskey stashed. "Was your mission successful?"

"I think so," Kirk said. "But even if it wasn't a total success, it still was something I needed to do."

"Well, that's not in the least bit cryptic," McCoy grumbled. "Are you going to tell me what the hell you just said to Uhura?"

Kirk laughed, obviously in higher spirits than he had been earlier. "Bones, you know all those embarrassing clips on the subnet? Well, they're gone."

"What?" McCoy said, completely surprised by this seeming change of topic. "All the sex vids? How the hell did you manage that? No one even knows who runs that damned net."

"Actually, I know a few of the guys who keep a hand in it. The guy that manages the archive protocols owes me, so I talked him into deleting all the files. Starting with the clip of Uhura."

McCoy whistled in appreciation. "He must have owed you a lot to have removed some of their most popular content," McCoy marveled. "Uhura must be grateful."

"Yeah, well, she deserves better than to be embarrassed like that. They all do. It'll take a few days for all the files to disappear, but soon, all that humiliating crap will be gone."

"All of it?"

"Yeah. My god, Bones, did you know that there was a recording of me puking Romulan ale all over Professor Fairchild's desk?"

"No! How did someone get a clip of that?"

"Just a routine log file. I couldn't believe how many stupid things were in there. But, thanks to Chekov and Scotty, it will all be gone soon."

"Well, hell Jim, that's great news. Admiral Pike will be pleased, and now maybe Uhura will stop trying to sabotage your efforts to woo Miss Archer."

"Maybe. But that's not why I did it."

McCoy's eyes narrowed as he considered his friend's actions. "Well, I'll be damned," he said.

"What?"

"Someone's growing up."

Kirk stopped abruptly, clearly annoyed. "What the hell does that mean? I'm the captain of a Federation starship. Does that not signify _grown up_ to you?"

"Hey, I know what your being captain signifies. I was there when you made your suicide run at Nero," McCoy said, "and I was there to patch you up after you saved the day. Nobody doubts your daredevil heroics. But _personal maturity,_ now that's a whole other ballgame. I wasn't sure you had it in you, Jimbo." McCoy slapped Kirk on the arm, chuckling as he led the way into his office.

* * *

A short time later, Kirk waited impatiently outside the lift. It had been a long and disappointing day. He still was slightly miffed at McCoy for his stupid comments about maturity. Eager to put it all behind him, he strode into the lift as soon as the doors opened, realizing, too late, that he was about to slam into someone who was trying to exit. Just before impact, he registered with dismay that it was _Lea_. Quickly, he grabbed her arm to help her regain her balance.

"Ow!"

"Oh, god, I'm sorry! Are you okay?" he exclaimed.

"Uh, yeah," Lea replied, slightly dazed from the impact and surprised to once again be face-to-face with Jim Kirk. Her head hurt, and she was sleepy. She still was a little tipsy, and after the excruciatingly long day, she felt dead to the anxiety that normally would have filled her at the sight of him. _Is this day ever going to end?_ she wondered with a heavy sigh.

The door to the lift started to close, so Kirk hurried inside, blocking Lea in with him. "Deck five," he said. Lea started to protest, but he didn't give her a chance. "So, how was your first day on board the Enterprise?" he asked.

"Well, it was a hell of a lot different than I expected," she replied disgustedly, then she froze, eyes going wide as she realized the inappropriateness of her comment. _Oh, damn! That wasn't exactly a regulation response!_ She looked at Kirk nervously, and was relieved at his surprised bark of laughter.

"Yeah, I bet this _was_ a bit different than you had anticipated. I'm afraid this day hasn't gone according to plan for any of us," he said sheepishly. "I hope tomorrow will be a bit smoother."

The lift door swooshed open, and Kirk stepped aside, holding it open for her. "Are you getting off here?"

"No, actually, I _think_ needed to get off at that last stop."

"Oh!" Kirk winced, embarrassed again, as he realized that her quarters were located on the deck they had just left. "Of course. I'm sorry. First I run over you, then I high-jack your lift. Can I help you find your way back?"

"Oh, no!" Lea blurted. "I'm sure I can find my way."

Kirk laughed at her obvious rebuttal. Even though she was turning him down, at least a bit of her true personality was showing through, and he liked it. "Okay then, you're on your own," he said with an indulgent grin. "Good night, Miss Archer."

Once again, he held her gaze for as long as possible. Just as the lift doors sealed shut, he instructed the computer: "Deck twelve."

Lea felt his amusement wash over her, then the lift whooshed her away. "I knew that!" she grumbled to herself, but then she smiled, simply glad to be heading toward the correct deck.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_Thanks to Monty and ban sidhe for the beta!_

Kirk arrived early, checking in with the bridge, reviewing his schedule. Killing time. The _Enterprise _was scheduled to leave space dock mid-morning. Even though the departure would be relatively uneventful for the crew, they all looked forward to it.

The _Enterprise _commanded an appreciative audience whenever it put in an appearance. Most of the station personnel would be on-hand to watch the flagship drift away from the base and warp out of sight; even the most seasoned brass would probably find a port to watch as she left. The crew couldn't help but feel a burst of pride, knowing that the entire starbase would be watching.

Kirk loved knowing that so many people would be looking at _his_ ship. Some spectators would be admiring her sleek lines, while others would be eager for that starburst when she went into warp. Others would simply be envious of her crew.

"Let's give them a good show," he murmured quietly to the ship, drawing his hand along her view port.

He and Sulu had already plotted their departure coordinates to give the starbase spectators an unobstructed view - and to give the _Enterprise's _crew another chance to feel the appreciation of their admirers. Kirk always made a point of giving new crew members a good vantage for their initial departure; he felt it helped drive home a sense of pride at being assigned to the Federation's famous flagship. He also simply enjoyed watching their reaction to the spectacle.

_Wonder how Lea will react?_ he mused. _Maybe she'll find this more impressive than last night's dinner._

Glancing at the chrono, he realized that it finally was time for her to arrive. He moved behind his work station and straightened a few items. He hardly ever used this office, preferring to handle most administrative duties on the bridge, but he thought this first official meeting with Lea deserved a little more privacy. He smiled in anticipation.

Lea took a deep breath, frowning in apprehension.

She'd had trouble sleeping the night before, partially because she was excited to finally be on board the _Enterprise_, but also because she dreaded the prospect of seeing Jim Kirk first thing in the morning.

_Kirk_, she thought, her frown deepening. _Okay, I can do this. I survived yesterday. This won't be so bad._

She wished she'd had a cup of coffee. Still unfamiliar with the ship's layout, she hadn't wanted to risk a detour to the cafeteria; being late for her first official duty shift would be embarrassingly unprofessional, especially for something as silly as getting lost on a coffee run.

_So here I am, looking at Kirk's office door, tired, hungover and uncaffeinated._ She took another deep breath, wiped her damp palms on her skirt, and forced a smile.

"Good morning, Miss Archer," Kirk said with a bright grin. "Are you ready to get started?"

_Oh, he's chipper_, she thought. _Of course, __**he **__knows where the coffee is._

Glancing around his sleek office, she felt cheered by his energetic manner, and she realized that she was indeed ready. "Yes, I think I am."

He gestured for her to take a seat, and as she did, she noted that the high-tech office was pristine. She wondered if he was obsessively neat, or if he simply never used the room; it had that "brand new" feel to it. The viewport offered a spectacular view of another ship, docked in the spoke next to _Enterprise_. The stars were dim in comparison to the light of the starbase, and other ships moving in and out of the busy port created a captivating tapestry.

"You've got a nice vantage point here," she said admiringly, as she settled into the chair.

Kirk glanced out the port, then replied, "Just wait until you see the view from the bridge." His tone was teasing, with a note of promise and unbridled enthusiasm. He still wore that devilish smile, and now his eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement. Just as last night, she could practically feel his larger-than-life personality washing over her. That arrogance would be annoying, coming from most other people, but with Kirk, it seemed ... somewhat inviting. Her own excitement stirred fully awake.

"I can barely wait," she replied.

"Yeah, me too," he said.

Her forehead crinkled in puzzlement as she wondered what he meant, but then he continued speaking.

"Every day, I can barely wait to get to the bridge. There's always something new, something amazing happening. This ship, this crew...I can't imagine a better place to be."

Lea smiled at his passion, and the sincerity in his voice. "You sound just like my uncle, whenever he talks about the _Enterprise_. And Admiral Pike, too."

Kirk dropped his gaze for an instant, almost as if he were embarrassed at the comparison, but then he looked back at her with intense focus. "Well, give it a week or two, and I bet you will feel the same way."

"Oh, I don't doubt you," she replied with a soft laugh.

"Wise choice," he replied, grinning brashly.

She laughed again, genuinely enjoying the conversation. _This isn't so bad._

Then Kirk said, "Okay, down to business. I'd like for us to meet daily, before Alpha shift, just to discuss any difficulties or opportunities that might come up during the planned route."

Lea nodded, then he continued, "I do a thorough review of the races that we might encounter, so I have an idea of what to expect, but I think your input will be helpful in our planning."

Lea smiled, surprised that Kirk would consider her observations for planning. Her research usually was called upon only _after _a problem had arisen. Maybe Kirk's proactive approach would allow her work to be more valuable. "Thank you, Captain," she replied. "I assume you'll want a written report, in addition to the verbal one?"

"Yes, after we discuss your ideas, I'd like you to disseminate a copy to the bridge crew," Kirk replied. "Then you can update in real time from the bridge throughout the shift."

"Sounds good," she replied. "Will all my work be done on the bridge?"

"You can work wherever it's most convenient for you," he replied, "but I'll expect you to be on the bridge for the first half of Alpha shift, and any new contact situations or conflicts. I've assigned Ensign Chekov to help you get set up with your work station."

"Is the work station similar to the interface at Starbase 12?" she asked, hoping this new flagship would be better equipped.

"I think you'll prefer this interface," he replied, looking pleased with himself.

_Or is he pleased with his ship?_ Lea wondered. _Hard to tell where pride in the Enterprise stops and simple arrogance begins._

"I studied your logs from the starbase, and your recommendations for an upgrade in the system," he continued. "We've configured your workstation to your specs."

Lea's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Wow. That's great! I didn't expect this."

Kirk laughed, obviously pleased with her response. "What _did _you expect, Miss Archer?"

The intensity was back in his gaze, and she had the feeling that he was referring to more than her workstation. What _had _she expected? _Challenge. Fulfillment. Excitement and opportunity_. But what she _hadn't _expected was for the very self-assured captain to have such blue eyes. Weeding through this chaos of thought, Lea chose the most prudent answer she could manage. "I expected the standard Starfleet interface."

Kirk appeared to contemplate her words, and then, with a mock expression of seriousness, he said, "A word of advice."

Lea's brow rose questioningly. "Yes?"

"Raise your expectations, Miss Archer. You're on the _Enterprise _now. We can accomplish anything." And there was that expression again; an elusive combination of arrogance, amusement and intensity. Lea wondered if every conversation with him would be like this, and if she would always suspect some hidden meaning behind his words. Before she could respond, he stood.

"Now, are you ready to see the bridge?"

Lea spent the next few hours with Ensign Chekov, learning the intricacies of working on the bridge of a Constitution Class starship. The plethora of new technology on the _Enterprise _was both thrilling and overwhelming, and the constant chatter among the bridge crew was distracting.

Every process and function was fascinating, especially since it was so different from the routine on a starbase. She kept catching herself smiling, then schooling the expression to a more professional countenance; she didn't want to appear too provincial among these Starfleet adepts.

She found Ensign Chekov to be just as talkative as he had been on the previous evening, though she had to ask him to repeat himself several times. His accent seemed to deepen along with his enthusiasm, and each new control and gadget seemed to excite him more than the last. The youthful exuberance was delightful, and she found herself more relaxed and at ease with him than anyone else she'd met so far.

"Did you do the work to reconfigure my interface?" she asked. His familiarity with the system was amazing; he seemed to know every nuance of the workstation's capabilities.

"Yes, Mister Scott and I used your guidelines to redesign the interface and database extrapolations," he replied, rolling his r's thickly. "The only thing we changed from your specs is this communication option."

He quickly keyed up the message function, showing her how to feed data directly to the captain's attention. It was elegant and unobtrusive. "Was that Kirk's idea?"

"Yes, he thought it would be more helpful this way," Chekov replied.

Lea was mildly surprised that the captain had put so much thought into her work. He'd obviously been serious when he said he'd reviewed the logs from Starbase 12. The communication problems she'd had with Commander Derkson wouldn't be an issue here. "Is he always this thorough?"

Chekov laughed. "He is when it comes to his command, and this ship. He wants us to keep the _Enterprise _at the leading edge, in everything, all the time," he said. "Keeps me and Mister Scott very busy."

Lea thought about the chief engineer, and his odd behavior the night before. Still wondering why he seemed so frazzled by her presence, she said, "I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to talk with Mister Scott more. He left so quickly last night."

"Oh, that's because he's afraid of you," Chekov said lightly.

"What? Why would he be afraid of _me_?" Lea asked.

Chekov had called up another checklist for her to review, then replied, "I think it's because of that dog."

Lea looked at him, befuddled, wondering if she had misunderstood his words again. "Dog?" she repeated.

"Yes, your uncle's dog. The one Scotty lost in the transporter test."

Then, finally, comprehension dawned on her. Her uncle had been extremely upset when the latest in his long line of beagles had been zapped away by "some careless lout." She vaguely remembered that Uncle Jon had the man transferred to some deserted outpost. She breathed out a heavy sigh, then turned to the checklist. "I never realized the culprit was our chief engineer."

Chekov's eyes widened. "Maybe I should have kept my big mouth shut?" he said hesitantly.

Lea laughed. "I'm glad you told me. It's good to know why he's so uncomfortable around me."

Suddenly, a hush fell over the bridge. Kirk had entered, striding toward the captain's chair while talking with the helmsman. Lea thought his name was Sulu, the pilot who had handled the _Enterprise _with such valor during the conflict with Nero. The unbidden thought caused Lea's breath to catch for a moment, but then she looked away, focusing instead on the new database interface. Soon, Kirk's voice came over the ship's speakers.

"Prepare for departure."

The words were simple, but they sent a thrill up her spine, and she immediately forgot her discomfort. The secondary screens zoomed in on the view ports along the side of the starbase, where station personnel were lined up to watch the _Enterprise _take flight. Lea had been among the throng of spectators just yesterday, and she remembered the eager anticipation she had felt. _And now I'm here!_ She didn't bother hiding _this _smile.

"I better get to my station," Chekov said. "Let me know if you have any problems."

Lea thanked him, glad to finally have a few minutes alone with her terminal. She lightly ran a finger along the side of the input panel. "We won't have any problems, will we?" she said softly, then began reviewing the controls again.

After a few last-minute confirmations, the ship smoothly moved out of space dock. It turned gracefully, Lea noted, so that the people on base would have an unobstructed view of her port side as she glided into position. Lea wasn't surprised by the showmanship of the maneuver; of course Kirk would choose the most enticing way to show off his ship. Judging by the excitement she could see among the station spectators, they appreciated the gesture. She had to admit, she'd enjoyed it herself yesterday.

Wondering how Kirk was reacting to this attention, she glanced at him, only to find him looking directly back at her. Everyone else was looking at their workstations or the view ports, so she was caught off-guard at his gaze. Again. She smiled to hide her self-consciousness, and he replied with an amused wink. Then he turned to the helmsman.

"Punch it, Sulu."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Thanks to all of you who have given me encouraging comments! And thanks to Monty and ban sidhe for the beta!_

Scotty looked at Chekov as if he'd lost his mind. "Are ya sure, laddie? That makes no sense!"

"Eet does if you read the notations correctly!" Chekov retorted, his Russian accent coming to the forefront.

"Aigh!" Scotty exclaimed, his own accent growing stronger. "Who can read these crazy scratches? Ya gotta start writin' your notes in English, laddie!"

Chekov scowled, pushing the diagram aside. "I eat now."

"Tha's a good idea," Scotty replied, shoving a big bite of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

Suddenly, Chekov smiled and waved to someone. "Miss Archer!" he called. "Please join us!"

Scott kicked his young friend in the shin. "What're ya doin' lad?" he exclaimed, then immediately hushed his voice. "I don' want ta be eatin' with that she-devil again tonight!"

"Oh, Scotty, she's nice," Chekov said, rolling his eyes.

"And yer sure about that after spendin' an entire _day _with her, eh?" Scotty grumped, but he could see that it was too late. She was walking toward them. Scotty wished he could melt into his chair.

"Good evening, gentlemen," she said as she approached. "I would love to join you."

Scotty felt like she was smirking at him, but when he looked up, he saw that she was merely smiling as she took a seat. "I'm glad to have the company," she continued.

"How did it go today?" Chekov asked excitedly. "Did you like the workstation? Did the interface work correctly? Are you satisfied with the layout?"

Scotty watched as Chekov fired questions at Archer's niece, apparently not stopping to take a breath. He stifled a sigh; the ensign was so exuberant about everything. He was proud of the new workstation they had built for Miss Archer, and he obviously couldn't wait to learn how much she liked it.

Unfortunately, he wasn't letting her answer his questions. "_I did-"_ and "_Yes, and..."_ were about all she'd had the opportunity to say. Chekov was still going, explaining extra features and outlining different possibilities for the interface.

Scotty noted that the woman's eyes were going wide, and she still hadn't had a chance to taste her chicken salad. He took another bite of his potatoes, grateful for his friend's talkativeness. _Maybe she won' pay attention to me,_ he thought.

But then, after a few more mouthfuls of food, he began to feel a bit sorry for her. Chekov was still talking non-stop, waving his hands as he went, jabbering about god-only-knew-what. Between the thick accent and the rapid-fire topic changes, the young man's words were practically indecipherable. He knew he should interrupt, if only to give the girl a chance to eat, but he still felt extremely uncomfortable with her. Finally, she smiled and held up a hand.

"Don't you ever wind down, Mister Chekov?" she asked. He looked at her with confusion, so she clarified. "I mean, don't you ever get tired? You seem to be going at warp speed all the time!"

He smiled sheepishly. "Doctor McCoy says I am not yet jaded enough."

Scotty fought a grin, not wishing to let down his guard in front of Archer's niece, but she laughed out loud. "I see the doctor has a sense of humor," she said.

Chekov shrugged. "I don't think so," he said innocently.

She laughed again, and this time, Scotty joined her. "Aye, lad, he's got one. It's just not always obvious to the uninitiated."

Chekov shrugged. "If you say so."

Lea was starving, so she was glad when she finally had a chance to take a bite of her dinner. Silently, she contemplated the chief engineer. His initial response to her had seemed a bit extreme, but now that she knew why he was uncomfortable around her...well, it _still _seemed odd.

_Honestly, what does he think I'll do? Even if I decided I hated him, Uncle Jon wouldn't have him transferred again. Not after everything he's accomplished here._

She knew she needed to put the man at ease, if for no other reason than to prevent another bizarre incident like the one at last night's dinner. Already self-conscious among these Starfleet officers, she did not need to have the chief engineer giving her the evil-eye every time she walked into the room.

"So, Mister Scott, I understand I owe you my thanks for the upgrade to my work station," she began, hoping to break the ice with a familiar topic.

"Oh, yes, well, Chekov is the one to thank," Scotty stammered, never looking away from his dinner. "He's the one who did most of the work."

"That's not true, Scotty!" Chekov replied. "You're the one who figured out how to increase the speed."

Scotty started to protest, but Lea interrupted him with a laugh. "Brilliant _and _modest. The both of you."

Chekov beamed, and she noted that Scotty also had a pleased expression, even though he still seemed to be studying his food.

"So, the interface was comfortable?" Chekov asked happily.

"Yes, it's great," Lea nodded. "Such a nice surprise."

"Your specs were easy to follow," Chekov replied.

"Really?" Lea said. "I'm glad to hear it. The tech staff at Starbase 12 told me my ideas were impossible."

Scotty responded with a rude noise.

Lea nodded in agreement. She knew her specs were non-standard, but they weren't _that _difficult. In fact, she thought she probably could have programmed the basic system herself, given the time and resources. Unfortunately, the staff at Starbase 12 considered anything that didn't fit within the accepted Starfleet protocols to be "too risky."

That same aversion to risk was apparent in other areas of Starfleet, too. Sometimes it felt like whole organization was becoming too bound-up by complex rules and over-the-top safety guides. Admiral Pike often said Starfleet was losing its drive, and quietly, her uncle Jonathan seemed to agree.

"Well, I was pretty excited to see that the _Enterprise _wasn't put off by my irregular ideas," she said. "If the starbase staff had been as accepting, I would have asked for a few other features."

"Really?" Chekov asked eagerly. "What are your other ideas?"

"Not ideas so much as a wish list," Lea said, suddenly feeling sheepish. She had studied advanced computing in school, but her abilities didn't begin to compare to these two geniuses. "I wouldn't even know how to begin programming it."

"Sounds like a challenge," Chekov replied, rubbing his hands together energetically. "Right, Scotty?"

Scott leaned back in his chair. "Maybe," he said noncommittally, but Lea noted that he was paying attention to _her _now, rather than his dinner.

"Well, I wish the system could detect and pull information from unrelated databases, without being prompted to do so," Lea began. "It would also be great if it could intuitively extrapolate information from Uhura's database, automatically."

Scotty and Chekov both went silent, obviously thinking about the request.

"Unrelated databases?" Scotty murmured after a moment, rubbing his finger along his jawbone thoughtfully. He was obviously warming to the subject. "That shouldn't be too difficult."

"The cultural databases are already set up to maximize shared information," Chekov mused.

Scotty nodded. "Detecting pertinent information in nearby databases will be easy. The tricky part will be doing it quickly enough to be relevant. With our current technology, it could take up to three minutes to find and highlight important information."

"Maybe you can rig the transporter to beam the information three minutes back in time," Lea said jokingly. Chekov laughed, but Scotty's brow scrunched in thought.

"Uh, that was a joke," Lea said.

"Nae, this might have some possibilities," Scotty replied, tapping his finger on the table.

"Scotty! You can't be serious!" Chekov exclaimed, but he was smiling expectantly as he said it.

"Wait!" Lea said, holding up a hand. "You're talking about using the transporter to send information back in time? For real?"

"Why not?" Scotty asked. "We've been using trans-quantum computing for generations. This might be the next step."

Lea had no idea how he thought he could pull this off, but he'd already managed several transporter tricks that no one thought possible. In fact, his experimentation _was _infamous. Especially within her family.

"Let's just get something straight," she said sternly. "When you send this communication back in time - to me - it's not going to blast me into some alternate dimension with my uncle's dog, is it?"

Scotty froze at the mention of the dreaded Archer dog. Warily, he brought his eyes up to meet Miss Archer's; but instead of malice, he saw only mischief. She was smiling at him.

"Well, I suppose I can test the new system on a potted plant or something, before I test it on you," he replied.

She laughed. "Oh, that's considerate of you!"

He tried not to smile, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.


	13. Chapter 13

_Thanks again to Monty and ban sidhe for the beta and suggestions._

**Chapter 13**

Lea's eyes were stinging, and she was sure they must look bloodshot. She'd stayed up late with Chekov, Scotty and Uhura discussing ideas for the new data system. The impromptu group had readily tackled the challenge, and Lea had been caught up in their enthusiasm. At first, she had been taken aback by the radical ideas being tossed around, but then, inspired by these overachievers, she'd joined the brainstorming.

After several hours, the four of them had come up with a working plan. She still didn't fully understand some of the extreme physics involved, but Scotty and Chekov seemed confident that they were on the right track. They were well-versed in time theory, and the great strides that had been made with Ambassador Spock's assistance.

Of course, Lea had known that the advanced technology brought by the time-traveling Vulcan had changed the landscape of modern science. It was impossible to _not _be aware of the sweeping breakthroughs that he had ushered in. She had not expected, however, to find herself applying his time theory to her own work. It was exhilarating!

Exhilarating and disconcerting. If she stopped to think about the source of this new science - _the alternate Spock_ - she might break out in a cold sweat. The implications of his very existence could send her into a panic attack; she dealt with this by focusing on the task at hand, not letting her thoughts stray to the man from that _other _universe.

Luckily, any anxiety had been kept at bay last night because the brainstorming crew didn't give her time to dwell on anything but their crazy ideas.

_They didn't let me get enough sleep, either_, she thought with a tired, but pleased, smile. The expression abruptly morphed into an unexpected yawn as she moved forward in the short line at the coffee bar.

"Having trouble waking up, Miss Archer?"

She quickly snapped her mouth shut. Kirk was standing next to her, with that amused grin. _When did __**he **__get here?_ she thought, realizing that this was the second time in as many days that he'd caught her with her mouth open.

"Just once, I'd like to run into you when I'm not at my worst," she said tersely, then promptly bit her lip, embarrassed at her less-than-professional greeting.

His grin only deepened. "You **are **going to have to get that non-regulation yawning under control."

She laughed, surprised at his levity. He'd already shown, several times, that he wasn't offended by the occasional breach of military protocol. It was a relief to know that she wouldn't be put off the ship for her irreverent attitude. _Well, not yet anyway. The day is still young._

"The usual, Captain?" the barista asked.

"Make that two, please," Kirk said, looking at Lea with a provocative smirk.

Lea started to protest. She loved her coffee, and after having to skip it yesterday, she was almost desperate for her favorite, rich Kona brew. She liked it black, with no frilly syrups or spices. The rare species of Kona, grown in a special preserve in Hawaii, was too complex to dilute with other flavors. She had no idea what kind of mix Kirk had just ordered for her, but she knew that today wasn't the day to be experimenting: she needed some _real _coffee to jolt her awake.

"Drink up," Kirk said, handing her a large cup.

She accepted the cup apprehensively. "Are you always this pushy?"

"Only when I know I'm right," he replied cheekily.

Lea fought the grin that tugged at her lips. "And you're never wrong?"

"Not often, no," he replied with a reassuring nod.

She smiled again, trying not to roll her eyes. Taking a sip, she nodded her head in surprised approval.

"See, I was right," he pronounced. "You like it."

"Yes, I do," she replied. "It's the same thing I always get."

"Really?" Kirk said with mock surprise. "And here I thought I was going to impress you with my knowledge of exotic breakfast beverages."

"I am duly impressed, Captain," she replied with artificial seriousness.

"As you should be!" he responded with a barely-concealed grin. Gesturing to the mostly-empty seats, he continued, "Why don't we just have our meeting here?" Before she could reply, he began steering her toward a small table at the far end of the room.

Lea saw that a few of the women she'd met in the crew lounge the other night, the catty ones, were sitting near the entrance. They were picking at their breakfasts while watching her walk across the room with the Captain. Hoping to avoid their stares, Lea chose a chair facing the viewport.

"I've gone over your notes for today's shift, and highlighted a few passages for the bridge crew," Kirk began as he took his seat.

Immediately forgetting about the unpleasant women, Lea glanced at the highlighted sections on Kirk's pad. Pleased that he was taking her briefing into account, she asked if he wanted the information presented in a different format, but she had to make an effort to concentrate on his answer. She was just too damn sleepy, and the view of the passing stars was mesmerizing. Unbidden, another huge yawn parted her lips.

Kirk paused mid-sentence, one eyebrow cocked. "Am I boring you, Miss Archer?"

Mortified that she'd finally offended him, a little spike of adrenaline shot through her. She immediately tried to say "no, of course not," but her face muscles were still caught in the rigor of the yawn. The resulting noises couldn't really be classified as actual words, just a short series of distorted vowel sounds, and her eyes started to water a bit.

Kirk burst out laughing, loud enough to draw attention from several other tables.

"I'm so sorry!" Lea said as soon as she regained control of her facial muscles. She could feel the heat in her cheeks, and the knowledge that she was so obviously broadcasting her embarrassment only made her feel more self-conscious.

"That's all right, Miss Archer, I can take a hint," he said, still laughing good-naturedly. "No more talk of data infrastructure until you've finished your coffee."

"I didn't mean, um -

Her words trailed off when he lightly placed his hand on hers. "I know," he said, lips still quirked in a soft smile. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."

She was caught off-guard at the intimacy of his tone, but the audacious sparkle in his blue eyes gave away his true intent. Her own eyes narrowed. "No, you're not," she said accusingly.

A snort of guilty laughter threatened to burst out, but he had just taken a sip of hot coffee, which he immediately swallowed in a big gulp to keep from spitting it all over her. He almost gagged before the hot liquid scalded its way down his throat, and then his own eyes began to water uncomfortably.

"Touche," he finally managed to say with a hoarse voice.

Lea shook her head, amused at his expression. She couldn't tell if the redness in his cheeks was from discomfort or embarrassment, but either way, she felt less awkward than before. His eyes still swam with moisture, making the blue seem even more intense than usual.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He nodded, smiling now, truly smiling, rather than the arrogant mantle he usually wore. It touched the corners of his eyes, making them crinkle. She'd seen that expression before, usually when some inappropriate words had inadvertently popped out of her mouth.

"Forgive me for saying this, Miss Archer," he said with a raspy voice, "but you are perplexing."

Surprised at this pronouncement, she sat up straight in her chair. "What? _I'm_ perplexing?"

Kirk held up his hands, as if in surrender. "It's not a bad thing," he said, customary arrogance returning to his voice. "I just ... haven't quite figured you out."

Lea leaned forward in her seat, ready to fire some witty line back at him, but he didn't give her the chance.

"Yet," he continued, voice low. His eyes pinned her in place, and she hesitated for a heartbeat. The underlying promise, combined with his overwhelming confidence, was enticing. She had to repress an unexpected shiver.

Refusing to let him know how easily he'd been able to pique her attention, she slowly lounged back in her chair, taking another sip of her coffee. "Good luck with that, Captain," she said. She had intended to come across as nonchalant, but the words seemed to take on a life of their own, sounding more like a challenge. She fought the urge to cringe at her own voice.

Kirk smiled again, his focus never wavering. "Definitely perplexing," he said quietly.

Lea laughed and rolled her eyes. "Look who's talking," she retorted.

Kirk's eyebrow arched in a self-satisfied expression, then he rose from his seat. "I hate to cut such an entertaining status meeting short, but I'm afraid I have a few things to do before alpha shift starts," he said. "See you on the bridge, Miss Archer."

"Aren't you going to finish your coffee?" Lea asked innocently.

"I think I've had enough for now," he said, glancing at the still-piping-hot brew distrustfully. He flashed her one more brash grin before striding out of the cafeteria.

Lea watched him go, noting that almost everyone else in the room was eyeing him, as well. Then she realized that several people were now looking at _her_. Including those catty women from the other night.

_Oh great_, she grumbled to herself. _Everybody here saw us flirting._

That thought brought her up short. She certainly hadn't expected to find herself _attracted _to Jim Kirk. After spending so much of her youth learning to curb her anxieties, mastering panic attacks and bouts of nervous jitters, she had fairly dreaded the prospect of meeting him in person.

She contemplated this unexpected turn, as the momentary excitement of Kirk's presence faded. _A relationship with the boss is never a good idea_, she chided herself. _And what happens when I have an unexpected panic attack? Just because I'm doing okay now doesn't mean I'm over this stupid phobia. I can't let my guard down._

Her fear of a resurgence of the Chios Syndrome that had haunted her childhood was enough to quash any lingering warm feelings about her newfound attraction to Jim Kirk.

_I can't risk that, _she thought determinedly.

Glancing at the time, she realized it was time to go to work. She took the last sip of her drink on the way out of the cafeteria. Then another thought struck her: _How the hell did he know what kind of coffee I like?_

* * *

_That evening..._

Kirk sauntered into the medical bay, grinning as he took a seat in McCoy's office.

The doctor looked up from his notes. "Just make yourself at home," he scowled.

"If you insist," Kirk replied, propping his feet on the corner of his friend's desk.

McCoy quirked an eyebrow in distaste. "What are you in such a good mood about?"

"I'm always in a good mood, Bones," Kirk responded. "You're the grumpy one."

"Not grumpy," the doctor said. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a small bottle of whiskey. "Just realistic," he continued, pouring two glasses.

Kirk took his feet off the desk and reached for the drink. He held up the glass in thanks, then took a tentative sip.

"I would imagine that cheesy grin means you've made some progress in your, um, campaign," McCoy said.

"Which campaign is that?" Kirk asked, with an innocent cast to his voice.

"Oh, please," McCoy replied. "Miss Archer has been here for a couple of days now. Have you succeeded in wooing her yet?"

Kirk replied with a dismissive _pft _noise. "What's your rush, Doctor? Aren't you the one who told me patience is a virtue?"

"I doubt I ever said _that_," McCoy replied drily. "So, you're taking this slowly?"

Kirk shrugged. "I'm enjoying this. Getting to know her."

McCoy struggled to keep the skepticism off his face. "Getting to know her? Is that a euphemism? Did she already tell you to go jump out an airlock?"

Kirk barked out a surprised laugh. "No! Honestly, Doctor, where is your faith?"

"That, my boy, has always been in short supply," McCoy replied.

Kirk's laughter was interrupted when Scotty appeared in the doorway. "What's takin' ye so long?" he asked. "I'm starving!"

"The good doctor has waylaid me with a bottle of bootleg liquor," Kirk replied.

"Oh, well, in tha' case, I guess dinner can wait," Scotty responded. He pulled up another of McCoy's office chairs as the doctor poured him a glass.

Scotty took a slow sip, savoring the subtle undertones of the alcohol. "Ah, tha's noe bad," he said. "Now, tell me wha Doctor McCoy lacks faith aboot this time?"

Kirk started to respond, then halted with his mouth half open, as if he'd suddenly thought better of what he had intended to say.

"What he's not telling you, Mister Scott, is that he is taking a _slow approach_ to his proposed seduction of Miss Archer," McCoy said.

Kirk almost winced, dreading the stream of objections that Scotty was sure to voice again. Surprisingly, he only nodded his head and took another sip of his drink.

"Mister Scott, are you alright?" McCoy asked, echoing Kirk's unspoken thoughts. Scotty never missed an opportunity to warn Kirk away from his "foolish ideas" regarding the admiral's niece. "Where are your dire predictions? Your pronouncements of doom?"

"Well," Scotty hesitated. "Mayhap I was a wee bit harsh aboot the lass."

"The lass?" Kirk repeated incredulously.

"You always call her a she-devil," McCoy reminded him. "You must admit, this is a surprising change of heart."

"I still maintain tha' the old admiral is a dangerous man," Scotty began heatedly. "But the young lady seems much ... less spiteful."

Kirk and McCoy both stared at Scotty in open astonishment. Kirk was the first to find his voice. "So you _like _her now?"

"Well, I wouldna go that far!" Scotty retorted. "Still, she di have some interesting ideas aboot our data cache. We've been discussing a new project."

"Is that what you and Chekov were working on today?" Kirk asked. He'd noted that the two of them had been fiddling with some new theory, but he hadn't had a chance to discuss it with them yet.

"Yes, Miss Archer had some additional ideas for her work station. She really seems excited aboot the potential of our computing system," he said, growing more enthusiastic as he spoke.

"Well, I guess that's good news," McCoy said, still somewhat puzzled by Scotty's abrupt reversal.

"Aye! And did ye know she talks to the ship?" he said.

Kirk and McCoy both seemed to freeze for a heartbeat, but Scotty didn't notice their pause.

"I mean, in Engineering, some of us talk to the ship all the time, ye know, _please don't explode,_ and the like. But she talks to it like a person, a friend," he continued. He was almost gushing now. "Anyone who loves this ship enough to talk to it like tha' canna be all bad, can she?"

"No, of course not," Kirk said, not meeting anyone's eyes.

McCoy scowled, tapping his finger on the edge of his glass. "Only two days on board and she's already on a first-name basis with your ship, Jim."

Kirk's brash grin returned. "I guess it was meant to be."

McCoy just stared at him, his forehead wrinkled in thought, while Scotty took another sip of his whiskey. Kirk waited for his friends to return to their now-customary admonishments about his dangerous game, but when none came, he sat up straight in his chair.

"Gentlemen, are you telling me that you both _approve _of my relationship with Lea?"

"Well, it's not 'xactly a relationship yet, is it?" Scotty said pointedly.

Kirk held up a finger to object, but McCoy spoke first. "Not yet. So far, it's just a wishful delusion."

"Delusion!" Kirk sputtered through the pleased grin that he couldn't contain. "We'll just see about that!"


End file.
